PNP chief: High alert for AFP change of command, Black Nazarene feast 'very normal'
MANILA, Philippines — Police armored vehicles in photos that went viral over the weekend along with rumors of a destabilization plot were going through regular maintenance, Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., Philippine National Police chief, said Monday.
The PNP has been fielding questions on rumored unrest in the uniformed services since last Saturday, but Azurin said heightened alert levels are standard protocol and that he does not think there is an actual plot against the government.
"I already talked to the camp commander and was told that that was a regular maintenance checkup," Azurin said in a press conference. He said that service vehicles need to be used regularly so they do not break down in storage.
Azurin added that heightened alert over the weekend was "very normal" when there is a change of command in the PNP and in the Armed Forces of the Philippines because the commander-in-chief is usually present.
The AFP held a change of command ceremony last Saturday for Gen. Andres Centino, who has returned as AFP chief just five months after he handed the reins of the military to Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin represented President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. at the ceremony although the president had earlier administered Centino's oath of office in Malacañan.
READ: Armed Forces: Up to PNP to investigate fake memo, alleged destabilization plot
Azurin also said that he does not believe that there is any destabilization plot from the military or police. "I also talked to [Centino] and he gave the assurance that the AFP and PNP will work hand in hand in ensuring that the Marcos administration will be very stable."
The rumors came in the same week that senior police officials began submitting courtesy resignations that Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos asked for as what he said was part of a Marcos administration plan to cleanse the PNP of high-ranking officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
The "war on drugs" campaign of the Duterte administration had also included a campaign to "cleanse" the national police force of officers involved in drugs.
RELATED: Azurin: PNP exec brought back ninja cop to PDEG
Azurin reiterated previous PNP statements that the police were also ordered to be on alert because of the celebration of the Black Nazarene in Manila and "preparations in Cebu for the Sinulog" also scheduled for this month. He said that PNP units in other parts of the country are on alert for similar reasons.
The rumors that spread over the weekend were also fueled by speculation over a supposed PNP memo ordering police to be on alert because of the supposed resignation of personnel of the Department of National Defense. The PNP has already disavowed the memo but Azurin said there would be an investigation "into possible security lapses as far as the document security is concerned." — Jonathan de Santos
- Latest
- Trending
