Espina giving tips as PNoy interviews two more PNP chief hopefuls

Barely a month before Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina retires from the service, President Benigno Aquino III interviewed two more candidates as he has yet to pick the next PNP chief.

Espina said Aquino recently met with Director Danilo Constantino, PNP's fourth in command as chief of directorial staff, and Director Ricardo Marquez, PNP director for operations. Marquez was in charge of security operations during the papal visit in January.

Espina, who took over the top PNP post in acting capacity in December last year, refused to say who among the possible choices would likely be appointed by the President, but added that he was, from time to time, giving Aquino inputs on the hopefuls.

"The president of the Philippines, by operation of law, has the sole prerogative to choose among all generals of the PNP...Crucial ang pagpili diyan eh," he said,

Constantino said he met with President Aquino, but was unsure whether it was an interview for the position of police chief.

He said one of the topics discussed was the bloody January 25 Mamasapano incident, which prompted former PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima to resign after drawing flak for supposedly calling the shots in the police operation despite his suspension then from service.

"And the other is yung perceived na factions exisiting in the PNP.... Merong binanggit, yung tinatanong na retirement, siguro tinitignan kung yung birthday namin lampas sa election period," he added.

"Para sa akin kasi komplikado yan in a sense na you will lose your private lives, para ka nang showbiz. Open book na life mo. Of course I'm elated because I'm being considered probably because of my age and current position," he said.

If appointed, Constantino will serve for only one year until July 2, 2016 when he turns 56, the mandatory retirement age for policemen. Marquez meanwhile will turn 56 in August next year.

President Aquino had earlier said that he is inclined to appoint a PNP chief who will serve beyond the 2016 elections.

If this is the case, Deputy General Marcelo Garbo Jr, chief of the PNP directorial staff, will not be appointed because he will turn 56 in March 2016, to the dismay of Espina.

"He's one such good person kaya isa rin siya sa contenders na kinoconsider for the PNP chief post. He's one good guy, very hardworking, silent, very jolly," said Espina.

In March, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said Aquino began screening candidates as he interviewed both Espina and Garbo. -NB, GMA News