Abalos names 4 members of 5-man committee to review PNP resignations

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Wednesday bared four members of the five-man committee which will review the courtesy resignations of Philippine National Police (PNP) senior officials.

The four members were Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., former Defense chief Gilbert Teodoro, and Undersecretary Isagani Neres from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs.

The last member of the five-man committee refused to be named yet, according to Abalos.

Considering that Azurin was also among the PNP officials who filed a courtesy resignation and should undergo assessment, Abalos said the PNP chief was already screened and his resignation was not accepted.

Abalos on January 4 appealed to senior PNP officials to submit their courtesy resignations as part of the government's efforts to rid the police force of officers involved in the illegal drug trade.

He said this was "the only way to make a fresh start" in the PNP, as he expressed concern over the involvement of some high ranking police officers in the illegal drug trade.

The National Police Commission will also review the names of police officers whose resignations are accepted.

“They will go through the records one by one. Iisa-isahin po itong mga pangalan. Pagkatapos kung may makuhang…tatanggapin ang resignations. Ito po nagyon ay ibibigay sa National Police Commission,” Abalos said.

(If there are accepted resignations, they will be forwarded to the National Police Commission.)

The concerned officials were given until January 31, Tuesday, to submit their resignations.

While there are 12 PNP high-ranking officials who did not comply with his call, Abalos noted that only one senior officer “technically” did not comply because the other 11 have already retired or are about to retire.

“Out of 955 general and full colonels, 12 did not comply. Pero hindi lang ho 12, kung tutuusin ninyo, isa na lang ang hindi nag-comply (But not 12, actually only one did not comply),” he said.

Abalos said authorities will look into the reasons of the said official.

Azurin said the official cited his “personal prerogative” in refusing to file a courtesy resignation. —AOL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News