Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — The call for the courtesy resignation of police colonels and generals seems out of place and unecessary, Senate Minority Leader Aquilio “Koko” Pimentel III said on Friday.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos earlier urged high-ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to submit a courtesy resignation amid possible involvement in the illegal drug trade.
“Parang wala sa lugar kasi hindi makatarungan ‘yan at saka hindi kinakailangan, lalo na na wala naman siyang sinasabi na malawakang kontrol o kontrolado na ng mga drug syndicates o drug lord ang ating kapulisan,” Pimentel said in an interview on Teleradyo’s Kabayan.
(It seems out of place because it is unjustified and it is not needed, especially when he did not say anything about drug syndicates or drug lords controlling the police force.)
“Kung hindi naman ganyan ka-emergency situation at sasabihin na mayroong involved, may kakaunting involved, o kahit marami ang involved, pero hindi ganu’n na kontrolado ang PNP ng mga nasa drug trade, hindi po kailangan ng ganyang malawakang order na parang shino-shortcut na lahat ng proseso,” he continued.
(If it is not an emergency situation, even if there may be several or few individuals involved, but the PNP is not controlled by those in the illegal drugs trade, such a measure is not needed, it is like taking shortcuts in every process.)
File cases directly
Pimentel pointed out that a better approach would be filing a case against individuals who are identified to be involved in the drug menace.
“Si Secretary Abalos, kung meron siyang nakitang report na may mga pangalan du’n, ‘di case-to-case basis na tayo. File-an na po nila ng kaso ‘yung mga meron silang ebidensya, kahit general pa ‘yan ng PNP,” Pimentel suggested.
(If Secretary Abalos has a report with names of erring officers, let’s have a case-to-case basis. They should file a case against them if they have evidence, even if it is a PNP general.)
Abalos recently said that a five-man committee will evaluate the profiles of resigned officials. They would continue to work until the panel accepts their courtesy resignation and relieves them from duty.
Should the committee reject their resignation, however, the officials would be reinstated.
Following Abalos’ order, PNP chief General Rodolfo Azurin and other command group members submitted their courtesy resignation.