Door of promotion still open for Supt. Marcos

Supt.Marvin Marcos. FILE PHOTO

Despite controversies hounding his reinstatement to service, Supt. Marvin Marcos could even be promoted in his new assignment.

Marcos led the 18 members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Eastern Visayas (CIDG-8) to conduct a raid in a Baybay City jail in Leyte that resulted in the death of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

There is “a likelihood” that Marcos would be promoted to the rank of a Senior Superintendent, equivalent to a military rank of a Colonel, if he would serve the six-month residency period as the chief of the CIDG in Soccskargen (CIDG-12).

“There is a likelihood, there is a likelihood, if he is…if he’s not disqualified from the promotion, so kung hindi siya disqualified, then he is qualified,” Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said on Wednesday.

The Senate committees on public order and drugs, and justice and human rights probed the controversial reinstatement

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who chairs the public order committee, lamented the fact that Marcos’s reassignment even gave “an entry point” for his promotion.

READ: Lacson, Drilon smell ‘cover-up’ in Supt. Marcos’ liability

“There’s a huge possibility that after 6 months, which is the required residency period, he can even be promoted to Senior Superintendent,” he said.

“If he is not disqualified, then he will be qualified for promotion. That’s an entry position for Senior Superintendent as CPNP mentioned earlier. Nariyan na siya sa position (He is already in that position). You cannot be promoted if your position does not carry a rank of a Senior Superintendent,” Lacson, a former police chief, said.

Asked if Marcos deserves the promotion, Lacson said: “That’s (the information we’re trying to elicit) from General Dela Rosa, what we could do about the situation. The reason I mentioned that is really to preempt whatever they are planning to do because they gave Marcos an entry point for promotion. At least I made them conscious that the Senate is watching them.”

Lacson earlier surmised that officials are covering up for Marcos and his men, who were reinstated on the orders of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte in April said that he will not just pardon the officials tagged in the killing of the mayor who was accused of being involved in the drug trade. He said he will also promote them.

READ: Not just pardon: Duterte vows to promote cops in mayor’s slay

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa explained that if Marcos would be ordered suspended, he would be denied the promotion.

“Kapag sinabi na suspended after ma-settle ‘yung issue sa motion for reconsideration, i-deny namin ‘yun (If he would be suspended after his motion for reconsideration has been settled, we will deny him the promotion). So the order for them to be penalized with one rank demotion and suspension will stay,” Dela Rosa said.

“Kapag na-implement ‘yan (suspension), automatic tatanggalin natin siya sa CIDG-12. Wala na siya puwesto kapag wala na siya sa pwesto. He is no longer qualified and eligible for promotion dahil wala na siya sa pwesto. Ise-serve na lang niya ‘yung suspension niya,” he said.

(If his suspension is implemented, he will be automatically removed from CIDG 12. He will no longer hold that position once he is removed from that post. He is no longer qualified and eligible for promotion because he no longer has the post. He will just serve his suspension.) IDL