Ten senior police officials have yet to submit courtesy resignation —PNP

Only 10 senior police officials have yet to submit their courtesy resignation, Philippine National Police - Public Information Office chief Police Colonel Red Maranan said on Sunday.

Of this number, three are generals while seven are police colonels, he said.

"Sa ngayon, ang nag-submit ay 941 out of 951. 10 na lang ang hindi pa nagsusumite. Sa 10, 3 ang general, 'yung 7 ay police colonels," Maranan said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

Earlier this month, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos asked generals and full colonels in the PNP to submit their courtesy resignation as part of the government's efforts to rid the police force of officers involved in the illegal drug trade.

PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. will wait until January 31 for all senior officers to tender their courtesy resignations.

Maranan said the PNP understands that some officials may have needed to take some time to decide whether or not to file their resignation.

"Inuunawa natin dahil ang desisyon na ito ay isang malaking desisyon sa buhay. Hinihintay natin ang kanilang desisyon sapagkat kailangan din nilang kausapin ang kanilang pamilya," he said.

(We understand because this is a big decision in life. We are waiting for them to decide because they still need to talk to their families.)

Maranan said all those who have filed and will file their courtesy resignation will continue their duties, status quo, until such time the committee assigned to evaluate their resignation issues a decision.

"Itong pagsusumite ng courtesy resignation, ang sabi ni PNP chief at SILG, everything is status quo. Kung ano ang normal na ginagawa ng PNP pagdating sa administrative at operational functions, dapat dire-diretso," he said.

(Despite the submission of courtesy resignation, everything is status quo, according to the PNP chief and the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). What the PNP does during normal operations of administrative and operational functions should still continue.)

Maranan said Abalos earlier said the evaluation and assessment of the courtesy resignation by the committee should be finished in two months.

After the deadline of January 31, the committee will start evaluating and assessing the courtesy resignations filed.

However, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the evaluation of all the courtesy resignations may take up to six months, pointing out the difficulty of doing investigative work.

“Baka hindi kayanin, baka a little more than that. Baka abutin ng anim na buwan ‘yan para maging thorough ang lahat ng effort. Pero madaming magagawa within three months,” he said on The Mangahas Interviews.

(We may not be able to do it within that time frame, maybe a little more than that. It might take six months for all the efforts to be thorough. But a lot can be done within three months.)

“Mahirap. Wala namang madali gawin talaga sa investigative work. Talagang we have to grind it out every day,” he added.

(It's hard. Nothing is really easy when it comes to investigative work. We really have to grind it out every day.)

Remulla also said that the Department of Justice will not let any PNP officials get away from their crime if they were found involved in the illegal drug trade.

“Kapag meron kaming ebidensiya, tutuluyan namin kahit sino pa ‘yan,” he said.

(When we have evidence, we will apprehend them whoever they are.)

A five-man committee will screen the resignations, including Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong who used to be the chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and PNP deputy chief for operations. Names of the four other members have yet to be announced by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Azurin had said that the committee will also conduct lifestyle checks on police generals and colonels who submitted their courtesy resignation. —with a report from Giselle Ombay/KG, GMA Integrated News