Azurin admits he has no ‘asim,’ says next PNP chief should be stricter

MANILA, Philippines — A week before his retirement, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said his successor should be stricter than he is.

Azurin, who is set to retire on his 56th birthday on April 24, said his successor should “level up,” admitting that he was known as the PNP chief who has “walang asim at walang arrive” (no appeal and no presence).

“Ang ire-recommend ko pa nga ay mas mahigpit sa akin. Dahil nagle-level up tayo,” Azurn said in a press conference in Camp Crame.

(I will recommend someone more strict than I am. Because we need to level up.)

“Kung mapapansin mo, ako yata ang isang Chief PNP na walang asim at walang arrive, ‘yun ang nasa record. Kaya ang kailangan natin eh iyong nag-level up pa,” he added.

(As you can see, I may be the only PNP chief who has no appeal and no presence, that is on the record. That’s why we need someone who will level up.)

He also reminded his successor to be committed to the President.

“Hindi natin kailangan ‘yung ano, yung wala siyang prinsipyo, wala siyang committment sa Presidente. Let us not compromise the President … wag nating walang-hiyain ang Presidente natin,” he also said.

(We don’t need someone without principles and without commitment to the President. Let us not compromise the President; let’s not put our President to shame.)

Major accomplishments

Azurin, meanwhile, also highlighted the major accomplishments of the PNP under his watch.

The top cop highlighted the PNP’s major accomplishments, among them are:

• The identification of the alleged masterminds in the killing of radioman Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and the filing of charges against former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and others for their alleged involvement in Mabasa’s death,
• Foiled escape of Abu Sayyaf members and successful rescue of former Senator Leila de Lima from the Abu Sayyaf Group hostage-takers inside the PNP Detention Center,
• Seizure of 990 kilos of shabu and arrest of certain high-value targets in Manila, and
• Development on the murder case of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo such as the cancellation of firearms licenses of Negros Oriental Third District Rep. Arnie Teves Jr.;  indictment of Teves and others for murder incidents in Negros Oriental, as well as the indictment of all suspects in the Gov. Roel Degamo murder case.

“The identification of the masterminds in the murder of radioman Percy Lapid; the alleged involvement of former BuCor chief Gerald Bantag in the death of middleman connected with Lapid’s gunman inside the Bilibid; and the 990-kilo drug haul showed how the tentacles of organized criminal groups operate in the country,” Azurin said.

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