Police officers march at the Philippine National Police grounds in Camp Crame in Quezon City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — The five-man advisory panel is now on its “final stretch” of assessing Philippine National Police (PNP) generals and colonels in a move to purge the institution of members with links to the illegal drug trade.
The PNP said the committee convened on Thursday, and “exerted all efforts to finish the proceedings.”
“Today, the advisory group is on the final stretch of the review and evaluation of the documents of third-level officers of the PNP,” panel spokesman Col. Redrico Maranan said in a statement.
Maranan, also the chief of the PNP public information office, said this is in line with the aim of completing the “massive internal cleansing” of the national police force before the upcoming retirement of PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
“After the completion of the proceedings, the committee is bound to prepare their report to the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government – Atty. Benjamin Abalos Jr. – for his subsequent endorsement to the President,” he added.
Maranan then reiterated that the committee, headed by Azurin, will do its remaining work “efficiently and uncompromisingly without any bias.”
Azurin was joined by the other panel members during the meeting – retired police general and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs Undersecretary Isagani Nerez, retired Court of Appeals Justice Melchor Sadang, and former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.
After the Azurin-led committee conducts the evaluation, it will submit its findings to the National Police Commission (Napolcom), chaired by Abalos, for another layer of assessment.
Napolcom will then endorse the results of the appraisal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who will decide whether to accept or reject the top-ranking PNP officers’ courtesy resignations.
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