MANILA, Philippines— Newly installed Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday, October 22, said he is considering reducing the number of Philippine National Police (PNP) generals to 25.
Remulla estimated that there are currently between 133 and 138 police generals, some of whom do not hold specific positions.
" Very top-heavy ang PNP ngayon. I think we have 133 generals, parang gusto kong i-whittle down to 25 para mas flat ang organization," Remulla said in a press briefing.
(The PNP is very top-heavy now. I think we have 133 generals, I might want to whittle it down to 25 so that the organization is flatter.)
Remulla clarified that the move will not demote or fire police generals and they will be allowed to retire.
" There are a lot of generals now without commands. If you look at it, we have the APC – Area Police Command that have no personnel beneath them," Remulla said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The DILG chief added that nothing is final yet, and the proposal is pending approval.
Asked if this may demoralize police personnel, Remulla said police are also soldiers and that "they follow orders and we'll see."
The new interior secretary said that under the PNP Law, they are promoted every three years, as the PNP operates under Civil Service rules.
Remulla said that they are considering making the promotion happen every five years instead.
"It's a 32-year-old law that needs to be revisited, so those are the things that we will examine," Remulla said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The Department of Interior and Local Government is working with the University of the Philippines College of Public Administration on how to best reform the PNP.
Remulla inherits the problem of former interior secretary Benhur Abalos.
In 2023, Abalos also pointed out that there were too many generals in the police force after the Department of Budget and Management called their promotion excessive.