Aquino meets 2 PNP generals; will one be next PNP chief?

PNP OIC Deputy Dir. Gen. Leonardo Espina administered on Thursday the oath-taking of Deputy Dir. Gen. Danilo Constantino and three other officers. Photo courtesy of PNP PIO

MORE than six months since the Philippine National Police was left without a permanent chief, President Benigno Aquino III is still screening candidates for the top PNP post.

Deputy Director General Danilo Constantino, who had just received his third star following his promotion as PNP’s fourth in command, said that the President has called him for a “casual” meeting.

“Yes, it’s true that the President summoned us but we don’t know if it really was an interview because it was a very casual meeting,” Constantino told reporters on Thursday.

PNP officer in charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina administered the oath of office for Constantino, Police Director Moro Virgilio Lazo, Chief Superintendents Rosauro Acio and Francisco Santiago Jr. at the PNP Star Officers’ Lounge in Camp Crame.

Constantino said President Aquino also talked to Police Director Ricardo Marquez, currently the head of the PNP Directorate for Operations, in a separate meeting in Malacañang last week.

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Asked what he and Aquino discussed, the general said   they have talked about the Mamasapano incident that led to the killing of 44 policemen but he declined to elaborate further.

“Another is the perceived factions existing in the PNP,” added Constantino, who graduated at the Philippine Military Academy in 1982 with Marquez.

The President, in his earlier statements, seemed to have confirmed this when he insinuated that some PNP officials had been denigrating each other since the top post was left vacant.

READ:PNP respects Aquino remark on mudslinging officials

Despite the speculations that the individual meetings of Constantino and Marquez were for Aquino’s ongoing scouting for the PNP chief, Constantino said the appointment for the most-coveted position was not brought up in their meeting.

“But he asked me about our retirement dates. Maybe he is checking if our birthdays will be beyond the election period (in May 2016),” he said.

Earlier reports said that one of Aquino’s considerations in choosing the PNP chief is that the official he would pick should still remain in police service until he steps down on June 30, 2016.

Constantino is set to retire in July 2016 while Marquez will turn 56, the mandatory retirement age, in August 2016.

Although Constantino feels “elated” that he’s one of those being considered for the post, he couldn’t say yet if he’s ready to take on the challenge of leading the 150,000-strong force.

“Para sa akin kasi komplikado ‘yan. You will lose your private life, parang showbiz na open book na ang buhay mo,” he said.

Asked how his meeting with Aquino ended, Constantino said the President only bade him “good luck.” AC