TAKING THE LEAD—BY ‘QUITTING’ Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. (center), chief of the Philippine National Police, confers with other ranking officials before proceeding to a command conference at Camp Crame on Thursday. Azurin announced his courtesy resignation from the top PNP post, heeding the call made on Wednesday by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos for police generals and colonels to voluntarily step down to set off a process that would supposedly cleanse the top brass of drug syndicate coddlers. —LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has heaped praises over Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. after he handed in his courtesy resignation, saying that he hopes more police officials would follow.
Abalos in a statement on Friday also noted other police colonels and generals who have submitted their courtesy resignations so that a proposed five-person committee can assess their profiles.
READ: PNP chief Azurin, other top officials submit courtesy resignations
“The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) salutes all PNP colonels and generals including PNP Chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. who have tendered their courtesy resignation to give way to the government’s internal cleansing efforts within the police organization,” Abalos said.
“I acknowledge PNP Chief Azurin’s commitment to this cause by demonstrating leadership by example among his fellow officials and true honor and integrity in service. I hope his noble action paves the way and inspires other PNP officials to do the same. Salamat sa pangunguna sa ating laban kontra iligal na droga (Thank you for leading our fight against illegal drugs),” he added.
READ: Abalos seeks courtesy resignation of all PNP colonels, generals amid possible drug links
Azurin on Thursday announced that he and the colonels and generals inside the PNP command group have tendered their resignations, in response to Abalos’ calls.
Abalos last Wednesday made the surprise move to ask PNP officials to step down, based on fears that the illegal drug trade may have reached the police leadership already after almost a ton of shabu was seized from a police sergeant.
READ: PNP chief Azurin not spared from courtesy resignation — Abalos
Aside from Azurin, officials from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) led by its regional director, Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, also signed their courtesy resignations on Friday.
Estomo also ordered a surprise drug testing of all 67 senior officials at the NCRPO.
While Abalos and PNP’s move got support from several officials and even critics like former senator Leila de Lima, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and opposition lawmakers were quick to remind that accountability should not end with resignations.
According to CHR, resignation is a mere first step — adding that the move should not diminish the legal and criminal liabilities of people involved in the illegal drug trade.