The hefty cash gift for members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) “is not forthcoming,” Malacañang said on Tuesday.
“It has not been released and apparently is not forthcoming,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said, quoting PNP chief Director General Ronald Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
On Monday, Dela Rosa said high-ranking PNP officers will get from P100,000 to P400,000, while key officers with no star rank would get P50,000 as Christmas gifts from President Rodrigo Duterte.
READ: Key police officials get P50k to P400k bonus from Duterte
Abella said he clarified the statement with Dela Rosa on Tuesday morning.
“I clarified it to them this morning. Apparently it has not been released and may not be,” he said quoting Dela Rosa.
Pressed why did the PNP chief issued such a statement, Abella said, “I don’t know.”
The Palace said it has not clarified the issue with Duterte but insisted that the cash gift for policemen was not forthcoming.
On Tuesday morning, Dela Rosa backtracked on his earlier announcement that Duterte will give Christmas bonuses worth P40,000 to P50,000 only to high-ranking police officials.
“I thought I was going to receive a big amount of money yesterday because I thought Malacañang was going to hand out bonuses,” he said in Filipino.
”But the media kept on asking where the money came from so we had to wait until nothing came,” he added.
But a reliable source told INQUIRER.net that top police officials started receiving their Christmas bonuses worth at least P100,000 each on Monday. CDG/rga