PNP needs permanent chief by January, says spokesman

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday it needs a permanent chief by January to sign documents needed for procurement of equipment to be used by its personnel.

“Pagpasok ng bagong taon, para sa pagsimula ng ating procurement, ay kinakailangan na magkaroon na tayo ng bagong Chief PNP. Dahil kung may anumang bagong kontrata na kailangang pirmahan, kailangan isang permanent Chief PNP ang siyang lalagda dito,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a press briefing.

(When the new year comes, we need a new chief of the PNP for the beginning of the procurement. It should be a permanent PNP chief who will sign new contracts.)

“Subalit kung hindi pa gagawin ng Pangulo [na mag-announce ng next PNP chief], wala naman ding magiging problema. Mahaba naman ang taon na isasagawa ang procurement,” he also said.

(But if the President will not announce [the next PNP chief], there would be no problem. The year for procurement is long anyway.)

Duterte led a command conference of top officials of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and other agencies at Malacañang on Monday.

But according to Banac, Duterte did not mention anything about the next PNP chief, as the conference only focused on the accomplishments of the Executive Order No. 70 the President signed on December 4, 2018, creating the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict.

Banac said that as the PNP awaits Duterte’s announcement regarding the police force’s 23rd chief, all administrative and operational functions of the organization continue under the watch of officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa.

Three top officials of the PNP were recommended by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to be the next chief. They are Gamboa, also the deputy chief for administration; Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, deputy chief for operations; and Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the directorial staff.

Duterte is also considering two younger police officials outside the list for the coveted post, according to Año.

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Edited by JE