PNP still awaiting courtesy resignations of 11 officials

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is still awaiting the courtesy resignations of 11 ranking officials with barely a week before the Jan. 31 deadline.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government earlier called on high-ranking police officials to submit their courtesy resignations in a bid to weed out officials allegedly tied to the illegal drug trade.

At a press briefing yesterday, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said they are awaiting the submission of courtesy resignations from eight police colonels and three police brigadier generals.

As of last Friday, Azurin said the PNP’s Directorate for Personnel and Records Management’s Discipline, Law and Order Division received the courtesy resignations of 942 senior PNP officers.

There are 953 third level police officials, according to the PNP chief.

“Actually, we are continuously reaching out (to the 11 officers). Of the number, seven of them are about to retire. So, maybe they are still trying to discern if they will still submit because they are about to retire,” he told reporters in Filipino.

“To us, we also still encourage them to submit, so at least, they will be cleared regardless of what happens during the evaluation and review of the individual involvement of everyone,” he added.

If the remaining officials do not submit their resignations, the police officials will be looked into by the PNP and not the five-man committee, according to Azurin.

“If (the remaining officials) do not submit, the PNP will study if there are indicators that they are involved in illegal drug activities during their incumbency as third level officers,” he said, as he stressed that this would cover even those about to retire.