PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Redrico Maranan (File photo)
MANILA – A total of 118 third-level officials in the Philippine National Police (PNP) have been vetted by the five-member advisory body that is looking into their courtesy resignations and possible involvement in illegal drugs, PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Redrico Maranan said on Friday.
Maranan, also designated as the advisory body's spokesperson, said the five-man advisory group convened on Friday afternoon to mark its second formal meeting relative to the evaluation process of senior officers of the PNP.
He said PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., retired police general and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs Undersecretary Isagani Nerez and former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro were present in the meeting.
“118 Senior officers were processed on today’s evaluation while the remaining more than 800 are set to be evaluated in the next meetings which were agreed to be done twice a week either in person or through video conferencing,” Maranan said in a statement.
He added the members of the advisory group begin with a discussion of the guidelines and procedures of the evaluation process in detail which later have been finalized and adopted.
“Rest assured that the advisory group will be keen on the assessment of all reports against these senior officers and at the same time will be fair, objective and judicious in every step of the process to realize the very purpose of this noble endeavor,” Maranan said.
Based on the agreement, officials whose resignations would be accepted would be forced to retire, regardless of how long they are supposed to still stay in the PNP.
The mandatory retirement age of uniformed personnel of the PNP is 56 and those who were asked to resign include generals and police colonels, some of whom still have at least eight years in the service.
In the next three months, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said the committee will thoroughly vet said police officials and will submit the names of those whose resignations are accepted to the National Police Commission (Napolcom) for another round of verification before submitting their recommendation to the President.
The move aims to cleanse the ranks of officers in the police organization from possible influence or connivance with drug syndicates. (PNA)
