Order of succession not followed in PNP? Cascolan says it's not important

Outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan on Tuesday dismissed observations that the order of succession was not followed when President Rodrigo Duterte picked Police Major General Debold Sinas as the next PNP chief.

Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar is PNP's No. 2 man followed by Police Lieutenant General Cesar Hawthorne Binag and Police Major General Joselito Vera Cruz. All, including Sinas, are members of the Philippine Military Academy "Hinirang" Class of 1987.

"At this point, it's not important considering that they are classmates... They deal with each other professionally, at the same time, they are classmates, they respect each other, they are friends with each other," Cascolan told ANC in an interview.

Cascolan was responding to question on whether Duterte's move to pick Sinas as the next PNP leader will have a negative impact on the police force.

"It may have some questions but with this in hand, both are classmates, they know for a fact that the leadership is in good hands," Cascolan said.

Cascolan said he is not surprised that Duterte chose Sinas, noting that the latter has done good in serving the public despite the issues he had faced, including the supposed violation of quarantine protocols during his last birthday.

"There were a lot of things he did, maybe there were some shortcomings, but generally he has done good too," Cascolan said of Sinas, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office.

Cascolan, meanwhile, was silent when asked about the criminal complaints filed against Sinas and other police officers due to the mañanita last May despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I don't know, I'm not privy to the case actually... I have not followed-it up... let him explain," he said.

Cascolan, meanwhile, said he is hoping that Sinas would retain the police officers who were reshuffled during his two-month term as PNP chief.

"I just hope he will be able to retain those who are deserving PNP personnel, efficient and effective," he said.

Sinas will formally take post as PNP chief in Camp Crame on Tuesday afternoon. --KBK, GMA News