Palace denies ordering probe on PNP ranks

Malacañang denied yesterday it has issued orders to investigate the promotion of 14 police officials to the rank of chief superintendent, with Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao saying Malacañang has not received reports of irregularities in this promotion.

"There is no order to investigate," Tiglao said, contrary to earlier reports coming from the National Police Commission (Napolcom) that Malacañang has ordered an investigation in the promotion of 14 officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Insiders said a top Napolcom official was orchestrating such moves to discredit the top leadership of the PNP, linking this promotion to charges of midnight appointments in the last days in office of ousted President Joseph Estrada.

"There is a pattern in the demolition process, with Napolcom vice chairman Rogelio Pureza always in the middle of the controversy," they pointed out, revealing that the Napolcom official had been at odds with PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza.

Mendoza and Pureza clashed over interpretation of rules and laws that govern the PNP when Pureza stepped into the replacement of a retired PNP finance official.

"Pureza had been after the heads of top PNP officials since then, first questioning the replacement of a top finance official in the police force," they said, adding that he is sour-graping after his candidate for the finance post did not make it in the promotion board.

The Napolcom official stirred controversy in the police force, prompting a reprimand from the chairman of the commission, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina, after PNP officials accused Pureza of not knowing the laws and the rules that govern the PNP.

While Malacañang denied Napolcom’s claims that it has ordered the investigation, PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Cris Maralit said the promotion was regular and followed the rules in promotion.

"There was no violation of any law in the promotion of these 14 officials," he said, adding that they have all been proven worthy of their new assignments.

Reacting to concerns by Napolcom in the induction into office of these 14 officials by the chief of the PNP, Maralit said there is nothing wrong with the PNP chief administering the oath of office.