MANILA, Philippines — Three police officials have been endorsed by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to President Rodrigo Duterte as possible successors of outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa, who is set to retire on Sept. 2.
“Secretary Año has submitted three names to the President but we cannot reveal the names and ranks,” Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) spokesman and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a text message on Friday when asked for updates on Año’s endorsement for the next PNP chief.
In another statement, PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said they are preparing for Gamboa’s retirement honors and a possible change of command ceremony on Sept. 2 at Camp Crame, the headquarters of the PNP in Quezon City.
Invited guests and police officials will have to join the retirement honors by video conferencing to strictly follow health protocols amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Banac said.
Banac said it is up to President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision on who will lead the police organization after Gamboa’s retirement.
“The PNP submits to the better judgment and freehand of the Chief Executive to exercise his prerogative of appointing the Chief PNP as provided by law,” he said.
Meanwhile, Banac said there are three officials of the PNP Command Group who are qualified to succeed Gamboa as PNP chief:
Police Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, PNP deputy chief for Administration, who is expected to end his police service in November. Cascolan was also appointed as head of the Administrative Support to COVID-19 Operations Task Force, which oversees the deployment of police officers to man checkpoints and health facilities.
He is also a “mistah” or classmate of Gamboa in the Philippine Military Academy Sinagtala Class of 1986.
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP deputy chief for operations, who will retire in November 2021. Eleazar also heads Joint Task Force COVID Shield, which enforces the COVID-19 lockdown protocols.
And Lt. Gen. Hawthorne Binag, chief of PNP Directorial Staff, who will retire from the police organization in April 2021.
Duterte has the freedom to choose the next PNP leader outside the list of DILG. The President must still choose a police official with the rank of at least a Brigadier General.