Bartolome to stay on as PNP Chief despite Purisima's promotion

Malacañang maintained Thursday that Director General Nicanor Bartolome remains the head of the Philippine National Police, despite Interior Secretary Mar Roxas’ earlier announcement that another PNP official will head the election taskforce. Speculations have thus run rampant that PNP Deputy Director General Alan Purisima, a close family friend of the Aquinos, would replace Bartolome. However, Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the position is not vacant and that the Palace will not comment on the non-issue. “Una, hindi pa naman po vacant ‘yung position and there will always be speculations. But whether that speculation is correct, we really cannot know until such time na magkaroon na po ng turnover,” Valte said in a radio interview aired over the state-run Radyo ng Bayan. Earlier, Roxas announced that Purisima will be in charge of Task Force Halalan 2013. "We have tasked Alan Purisima to head the task force that we have formed for the elections next year. This would ensure that there will be someone at the helm of our preparations for the 2013 elections even after the retirement of the current leadership," Roxas said in a chance interview Tuesday at the 21st anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Fire Protection. President Aquino earlier expressed a desire for Bartolome to retire early, to give his successor a longer transition period leading to the 2013 midterm elections. However, while he has said that he will retire if the president specifically asks him to, Bartolome has been firm in his decision to finish his term. Valte however said that Purisima’s new role should not be read too much into, as “it’s just a designation.” She added that the palace is in no way pressuring Bartolome to retire early against his wishes. “Obviously, even from the demeanor and the statements of DG Bartolome mukha namang wala pong pressure sa kanya,” Valte added. — BM, GMA News