Azurin admits PNP’s morale plummeted due to drug cover-up allegations

FILE PHOTO: Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., PNP chief. (Photo from the Facebook page of the Office of the Chief PNP)

MANILA, Philippines — The morale of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is currently low given the recent illegal drug cover-up allegations involving police officials, said its chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Monday.

Azurin, however, reminded the 228,000-strong police personnel that they should continue doing their mandate to the nation and our people.

“Alam mo, I was listening to Eli Cruz kahapon, sabi niya: alangan naman sabihin ko na high morale? Ito ang current state of the PNP right now,” Azurin said in a press briefing in Camp Crame. He is referring to PNP Investigation and Detective Management Director Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz.

(You know, I was listening to Eli Cruz yesterday, and he said: Why would I say we are in high morale? These are the current state of the PNP right now.)

“So ang sentiment ng [pulisya], bagama’t low morale sila … they should not be distracted, they should continue to work,” he added.

(The sentiment of the police force, while they have low morale, they should not be distracted, they should continue to work.)

After Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. revealed alleged“massive attempt to cover up” the biggest drug bust and arrest of dismissed Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo in 2022, police morale plummeted.

The country’s top police official also said the scandal allows the PNP to improve its performance.

“How do I interpret this? These are opportunities,” he said.

“‘Yung lahat ng putik na ibinabato sa amin, these are opportunities na nagsasabi na kailangan pa natin i-improve ang performance ng Philippine National Police,” he added.

(All of the dirt thrown against us are opportunities that show that we need to improve the performance of the Philippine National Police.)

RELATED STORY:

PNP tells Abalos over drug cover-up claims: Beware of people giving wrong info

JPV/abc