P-Noy: New PNP chief needed to prepare for 2013 polls

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino insisted yesterday the need to replace Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome in preparation for the May elections next year.

However, he said the move should not be given any political color because he only wanted to make sure that the next PNP chief would have ample time to prepare for peaceful and orderly elections.

Aquino earlier admitted that he asked Bartolome to retire earlier than March 2013, or upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56, since this was already too close to the elections and the next PNP chief might not have time to familiarize himself with the job before the May polls.

He said he also wanted Bartolome to replace resigned Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno, who would be transferred to another post.

Puno resigned after the President said he was planning to transfer him without being very specific about the reasons.

But Aquino said he was not clearing anyone, let alone Puno, on the scrapped rifles deal.

In an ambush interview in Quezon, the President said the new PNP chief must have sufficient time to make a plan and carry this out properly.

“So we appealed to Director General Bartolome and he is cognizant that there is such an issue – that if his term or tour of duty will be past the elections, there is no problem. But it will be in the heat of the elections,” Aquino said.

The President said he had spoken with someone to take the place of Puno, “with the clearance” of incoming Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, but he might have to talk to the person again because he was having second thoughts about it.