Retiring PNP chief wants to stay in gov’t service

Less than a week before his scheduled retirement, National Police chief Director General Oscar Calderon said he would gladly accept any government post once he retires from the police service on October 1. At the weekly news forum in Camp Crame Tuesday, Calderon said he owes it to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for being appointed PNP chief in July last year. "I won’t be gone totally from the picture. I just can’t leave our President. I will always be ingratiated to her for making me the chief PNP," Calderon told reporters. This early, Calderon said there are informal offers for him to apply for the vacant post at the Department of Interior and Local Government but everything remains uncertain as of this time. "I won’t shun any offer. I just want to help so I will make myself available. I could be of service," Calderon said. On Monday, President Arroyo named PNP Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr as the incoming PNP chief. A member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1974, Razon is a classmate of Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. The said PMA class has First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo among its honorary members. Calderon’s predecessor, Arturo Lomibao, was recently named chief of the Land Transportation Office (LTO). Two former PNP chiefs are now members of the Arroyo Cabinet: Leandro Mendoza (Transportation and Communications) and Hermogenes Ebdane (Public Works). Another former PNP chief, Edgar Aglipay, is currently chairman of the Philippine Retirement Authority. - GMANews.TV