In this photo taken on Oct. 23, 2019, a police officer passes by the logo and values/motto painted on the perimeter wall of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame. (File photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines— The 18 third-level police officials whose resignations were accepted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. due to their suspected illegal drug links are deemed resigned, Gen. Benjamin Acorda, chief of the Philippine National Police, said on Monday.
“We have implemented the order or the acceptance, so we issued the appropriate orders with regards to the acceptance… They are deemed resigned,” Acorda told reporters at Camp Crame.
The officers — composed of three brigadier generals and 15 colonels — have the option to appeal the decision, he said: “It depends on them. They have the option. Whatever their next steps are, I leave it to them.”
But the PNP chief could not immediately explain the process of the resignations and how it would affect the officers’ benefits. “It’s a nitty-gritty process. They are going to receive benefits, but I don’t know the specifics,” he said.
President Marcos said last week that he had accepted the resignations of 18 out of the 953 PNP generals and colonels who submitted their courtesy resignations early this year.
The highest police officers to be axed from service were Brigadier Generals Remus Medina, Randy Peralta and Pablo Labra II. The rest were Colonels Rogarth Campo, Rommel Ochave, Rommel Velasco, Robin King Sarmiento, Fernando Ortega, Rex Derilo, Julian Olonan, Rolando Portera, Lawrence Cajipe, Dario Menor, Joel Tampis, Michael David, Igmedio Bernaldez, Rodolfo Albotra Jr. and Marvin Sanchez.