Espina resigns as PNP’s OIC —sources

By AMANDA FERNANDEZ, GMA News

Published April 16, 2015 10:26am

(Updated 11:44 a.m.) General Leonardo Espina has resigned as officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police.

This was confirmed to GMA News on Thursday by at least two high-ranking police officials.

The sources, who both refused to be named, said Espina tendered his resignation to President Benigno Aquino III last March.

Aquino, however, has yet to accept his resignation, the sources said.

Espina, for his part, remains silent on the issue.

For his part, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said the police force has no official record of Espina's resignation.

"Wala pang ganyan sa official records ng Philippine National Police," Cerbo said in an interview with reporters early Thursday morning.

Cerbo noted that if Espina indeed resigned, the police force would be informed, considering the resignation has occurred a month ago.

"Kami ang unang makakaalam kung may pagbabago sa Philippine National Police," he said. "Kung may changes diyan, isa ako sa unang nakakaalam."

"Normally, kapag may resignation, it will be through channels, maraming pagdadaanan," he added, stressing that the police have no record of such allegations.

He also stressed that since March when Espina allegedly tendered his resignation, "patuloy pa rin ang kanyang pagtatrabaho, walang nabago."

He also added that Espina was even promoted as Deputy Chief for Administration, the second highest post in the agency and remains the police force's officer-in-charge, effective last Tuesday.

"Na-promote pa siya. Naging full-time TDCA pa siya, so wala tayong nakikitang basehan ang alegasyong ito," he said.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on the other hand said he is unaware of the alleged resignation of Espina.

He also said he has no information if Aquino has accepted Espina's resignation.

However, he noted that the officer-in-charge was recently promoted weeks after the alleged resignation.

Roxas declined to comment further. —KG, GMA News

Tags: leonardoespina, philippinenationalpolice