PNP CHIEF Gen. Rodolfo Azurin has promoted nearly 44,000 policemen, mostly non-commissioned officers, to the next higher rank effective last month.
Azurin yesterday administered the oath of office to 1,172 of the 43,823 promoted policemen, particularly those assigned at the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
The PNP said 406 were promoted to major from captain, 3,568 to captain from lieutenant, and 273 to lieutenant from executive master sergeant.
It also said 1,707 policemen were promoted to executive master sergeant from chief master sergeant; 3,507 to chief master sergeant from senior master sergeant; 3,303 to senior master sergeant from master sergeant; 5,046 to master sergeant from staff sergeant; 11,711 to staff sergeant from corporal; and 14,572 patrolmen were given the rank of corporal.
Azurin congratulated the policemen for their long-overdue promotion.
“While it is long overdue, at least were able to make it. Its effectivity, as I said, is last December 22,” said Azurin.
“Your promotion today defines success, and it is anchored with huge opportunity and motivation to further impart your ideals, wisdom, and vision,” he told the policemen.
Azurin also urged them to support the ongoing campaign to rid the police force of personnel involved in illegal drugs.
Last week, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos urged all police generals and colonels to submit their courtesy resignation as part of efforts to cleanse the PNP ranks of erring personnel involved in the illegal drugs trade.
“Let us all be reminded that for as long as we are in the police service, we are in the PNP organization, no PNP personnel should be involved in the use, possession, manufacture, trade or sell of any illegal drugs,” said Azurin.
“That should be a no, no to every PNP personnel and you should always try to bear that in mind,” said Azurin.
Azurin earlier said there are “less than 10” generals and colonels who are involved in the trade of illegal drugs.
As of last Sunday, close to 600 — out of the total 956 generals and colonels in the PNP — have submitted their courtesy resignation.
Asked if some of the less than 10 generals and colonels involved in illegal drugs were among those who have already tendered their courtesy resignation, Azurin said, “So far, it’s being sorted out by DPRM (Directorate for Personnel and Records Management).”
“It is where courtesy resignations are filed. So we would know if they submitted at end of the deadline (end of January),” he said.
The courtesy resignations will be screened by members of a committee. Abalos has said the committee will include retired police major general now Baguio City mayor Benjamin Magalong.
Asked if the officers who will be submitting their courtesy resignation will be subjected to lifestyle check, Azurin said: “As of now we need to ask the members of the committee as to the procedure.
“But definitely that would be part of the investigation or inquiry that will be conducted by the committee to assess and evaluate all third level officers (generals and colonels),” said Azurin.
