It’s Duterte’s prerogative to take over PNP – Gatchalian

MANILA, Philippines — It’s the prerogative of President Rodrigo Duterte’s to be the next Philippine National Police (PNP) chief if he should choose to assume the post, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said Saturday.

“For me, we know the President’s priority is peace and order,” Gatchalian said, speaking in Filipino, in an interview over AM radio station DWIZ. “Because he is having a hard time to pick a permanent PNP chief, it’s his prerogative to appoint himself.”

Gatchalian added, however, that it would be best for the President to assign a permanent head to the police force.

“It’s better in the long run because the President is also busy. So I think, in the short or medium-term he could [assume the post] if he really wants to reform the PNP,” he said.

In an interview with reporters on Thursday, Duterte raised the idea of his taking over the post, saying that he was having a hard time selecting the next PNP chief, adding that he would not name a police official who has even a single case of corruption.

Some of the contenders to the post are Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, who is the acting PNP chief and deputy chief for administration; Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, who is the PNP deputy chief for operations; and Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the PNP Directorial Staff.