PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has implemented the courtesy resignations of 18 senior police officials after these were accepted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for their alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
“We have implemented the order or the acceptance so we issued the appropriate orders with regards to the acceptance, with regards to the process, I leave that to the DPRM (Directorate for Personnel and Records Management),” PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. told reporters in a chance interview at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday.
“He (President Marcos) gave the letter, we received the letter, we get the acceptance letter so we implemented it,” he added.
Acorda, however, said there is a procedure to be observed regarding the benefits of the resigned police officials which include three generals and 15 colonels.
As these officers are already deemed resigned, Acorda said the positions they would vacate would be immediately filled up.
“They (18 senior officers) have options (to appeal) but whatever their next course of action, I will leave it to them. But on the part of the PNP, they are already deemed resigned,” said Acorda.
“Any vacuum that will be created because of this acceptance and implementation should be filled up immediately. (This is) Organization so structural when somebody is being relieved or resigned or retires meron naman papalit palagi (there's always a replacement),” Acorda explained.
Acorda, meanwhile, hoped that the courtesy resignations of their senior officers early this year would be the last for the police organization.
“On the part of the whole organization, I am requesting for all of us to continue to work. We should not be affected by this outcome and what I want is that each and every personnel will continue to implement and do our law enforcement operations professionally and aggressively,” said Acorda.
“I believe that this is the only way so that this would not be repeated,” he added.
Acorda was one of the more than 950 PNP third-level officers who submitted a courtesy resignation following the controversies on the alleged presence of "ninja cops" or those who recycle confiscated illegal drugs that stemmed from the 990 kilos of shabu seized in Manila where the main player was a policeman.
“To the rest of the PNP officers and men, hopefully, this (submission of courtesy resignation) would not be repeated and we can do this by cooperating with each other. Let us really convince our fellow Filipinos that their PNP can be trusted and that we can do our job honestly and professionally, and all in accordance with the law,” said Acorda.
He also assured the PNP's full commitment to intensifying the war against illegal drugs.
“Nakikita natin yung kahirapan ng mga operatiba (we see the difficulties of operatives) when it comes to conducting operations on illegal drugs so with the statement of the President we are pursuing this and intensifying it,” he added.
The PNP chief maintained that erring cops have no place in the organization, especially under his watch as he vowed to implement an intensified internal cleansing. (PNA)
