PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. yesterday said the five-man advisory group tasked to vet the courtesy resignations of police generals and colonels intends to buckle down to formal work next week.
“Hopefully, by Monday or early (in the) week, we will already start working,” Azurin said in an ambush interview at the PNP national headquarters at Camp Crame.
The body is composed of Azurin, former Defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro, retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Melchor Sadang, retired police general and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and retired police general Isagani Nerez, an undersecretary for police affairs at the Office of Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs.
The advisory group convened last Monday and discussed how it will go about the screening of the courtesy resignations of more than 900 generals and colonels.
“We are still reviewing the guidelines, which we started last Monday. Once finalized, we start working,” said Azurin.
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. called on all police generals and colonels to submit courtesy resignations last January 4 to fast-track efforts to rid the PNP of officers linked to illegal drugs. They were given until January 31 to submit their resignations.
Asked if the advisory group can complete its job before his retirement on April 24, Azurin said: “I think we can do it, even earlier.”
Azurin said the group is still discussing if there will be face-to-face interviews with some of the generals and colonels during the screening or just let the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) do the interview.
The advisory group will submit to the NAPOLCOM the list of officers whose resignations will be accepted. After a review, NAPOLCOM will forward the list to the President for his approval.
“The issue here is drug involvement only. That will be the focus as far as the advisory group is concerned,” said Azurin.
Azurin also announced that Col. Redrico Maranan will be the spokesman of the advisory group, in concurrent capacity as the chief of the PNP’s Public Information Office.
