Contenders for PNP chief post told: No endorsements please

The Philippine National Police is discouraging contenders for the PNP chief post to stop seeking endorsements from influential persons outside the police force.

“It has been a policy of the PNP to discourage the police force from asking endorsements from anybody. The PNP is a nonpartisan organization,” PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said in an interview on Friday.

“There should be no political color. That’s the essence of the law. We are the safeguards of the law.”

House of Representatives Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. wrote recently to President Benigno Aquino III endorsing Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, suspended Central Luzon police director, to replace resigned Director General Alan Purisima as PNP chief.

Belmonte, who’s also the vice chair of the ruling Liberal Party, said one of the advantages of appointing Petrasanta is that he came from a later class from the Philippine Military Academy.

Petrasanta graduated from PMA in 1984. Aquino is reportedly going to appoint a PNP chief who will remain in police service until May 2016.

So what’s the best endorsement?

“If you’re good and if your leadership is excellent, your track record is the proper endorsement for yourself,” Mayor said.

But while the PNP discourages policemen to ask for endorsements, Mayor said the law doesn’t prohibit anyone from backing police officers.

“Then again, you can’t prevent someone from endorsing you,” he said.

Aside from Petrasanta, contenders for the top PNP post are Police Deputy Director Generals Marcelo Garbo and Danilo Constantino, Police Directors Juanito Vaño, Ricardo Marquez and Benjamin Magalong.

But among the candidates, Petrasanta has the longest remaining tenure since he will retire until June 2017. The rest of the contenders will retire either this year or in 2016. AU