Resigned PNP officials assured of ‘closure’

Mayor Benjamin Magalong —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The five-man panel tasked to review the directed “courtesy resignations” of top Philippine National Police officials has assured anxious generals and colonels that they will be given “final closure” if they really have nothing to do with drug syndicates, according to Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

Magalong, who served in the PNP for 38 years before being elected Baguio mayor in 2019, will form part of the committee, but the panel has not convened even as they awaited the resignation of 24 officials who have yet to comply with the order of Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos.

In a bid to weed out police officials involved in the narcotics trade, Abalos on Jan. 4 asked top PNP officials to submit their courtesy resignations by Jan. 31.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., who submitted his own courtesy resignation on Jan. 5, said a total of 936 colonels and generals, or 98 percent of all the 952 high-ranking officials, have submitted their resignations as of Wednesday.

The number was previously at 956, but four of the officials have since retired.

According to Azurin, two generals and five colonels were contemplating not to comply with the order since they are set to retire next month anyway.

“But I encouraged them to submit anyway, so they could have peace of mind. They have served the PNP for more than 30 years so they deserve to have their names cleared once and for all,” Azurin said in a radio interview.

Azurin earlier said less than 10 high-ranking police officials are believed to be involved in illegal drugs, but he declined to say whether those officials had already submitted their resignations.

Still, Azurin hoped all the 952 police officials would tender their courtesy resignation by the Jan. 31 deadline.

Magalong also said on Tuesday that he met with unidentified senior PNP officers to address their “anxieties and apprehensions” about the resignation and the screening process.

The committee is close to finishing the guidelines to be used by the committee and assured anxious officials that they will be given a fair shake and “formal closure,” he added.

“This means that, if you are cleared by the committee, this should not just be a verbal clearing,” Magalong said. “Many are asking that we give them something concrete that proves it.”

Magalong said that the screening process will be completed within 30 days because that is the requirement of the Civil Service Commission. The 30-day period will start when the committee convenes.