Duterte might take direct hand in PNP

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte would rather take the helm for now of the 190-strong Philippine National Police (PNP) rather than allow it to go astray anew under a leadership of somebody he cannot trust.

“If they have even a single case of corruption, wala ka. I would rather not appoint anybody for that matter. Ako na hahawak noon, I will be the one directing, giving guidance and direction,” Duterte said in a media interview last night.

“If you are talking of arrival (at a decision), matagal pa siguro yan, but that is in the event that I cannot find somebody I can trust,” he said. “Itong pulis maraming problema.”

There are currently 126 star-rank officials: three lieutenant generals, 19 major generals and 106 brigadier generals.

Nobody is holding the top four-star rank since Oscar Albayalde opted to step down as PNP chief amid the “ninja cops” controversy.

Duterte again expressed disappointment over the issu es hounding the police force, from drugs to corruption.

He said the PNP has to wait for a while as he has yet to find an honest man among the 126 police generals.

“Isa pa itong mga pulis, intay kayo dyan. There are so many things that the police has to improve on, unless I think I see the very best guy there. You show me, show me, tell me who is the best to handle the command,” Duterte said. “Just give me an honest man, period.”

All individuals who join the Cabinet, including retired military men recruited into the civilian government as well as the justices, when they ask (for their marching orders), I just tell them ‘be honest’,” Duterte said.