Video by Cathy Miranda/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday that it has no official knowledge of the reported resignation of suspended Philippine National Police chief General Alan Purisima.
Purisima’s alleged resignation hogged the headlines, which reliable sources, including senior government officials and cabinet members confirmed. But PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. denied these reports.
“Maraming haka-haka, maraming mga storya, ang PNP ayaw nang dumagdag pa d’yan. Wala po kaming info, wala kaming official, whether document or verbal, na pinanghahawakan at nagsasabi na si General Purisima ay nag-resign at nagsasabing tinaggap ito ng Pangulo. Wala po,” he said in a press briefing.
(There are several rumors and reports, but the PNP does not want to get involved. We do not hold any official document or comment that states that General Purisima has resigned and that the President has accepted his resignation. We have nothing.)
The Palace also denied Purisima’s supposed resignation.
Reports said President Benigno Aquino III addressed cabinet members in Malacañang on Thursday and confirmed that he had accepted his close friend’s resignation.
Prior to the resignation rumors, some reports also claimed that Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II sought Purisima and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa’s firing to give justice to fallen Special Action Force members.
Purisima allegedly supervised the police operation to arrest international terrorists that led to the slaughter of 44 policemen in an encounter with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
If in case Purisima quits his post, Cerbo clarified that PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina will not automatically be the PNP chief.
“May official order pa ‘yan. Kailangan pa naming humingi ng order sa itaas (It follows an official order. We still need the order from the higher-ups),” he said.
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