Ex-CA justice Sadang completes panel that will review PNP resignations

A retired Court of Appeals (CA) justice will complete the five-man committee that will review the courtesy resignations of senior Philippine National Police (PNP) officials.

In a statement, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos identified former CA Associate Justice Melchor Quirino Sadang as the fifth member of the committee.

Aside from Sadang, the other members of the committee are Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., former Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr, and Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs’ Undersecretary Isagani Neres.

Sadang, according to Abalos, served as vice executive judge and presiding judge of a regional trial court. From 1993 to 1994, he represented the Department of Justice as a panel member in the negotiating panel of the Rebolusyong Alyansang Makabayan.

Sadang was also a law professor at the University of the East.

The five-man committee will review the resignations filed by police generals and full colonels in response to the appeal of Abalos.

On January 4, Abalos appealed to police generals and full colonels to submit their courtesy resignations as part of the government's efforts to rid the police force of erring officials, particularly those involved in the illegal drug trade.

Abalos had said that this was “the only way to make a fresh start” in the PNP, as he expressed concern over the involvement of some high ranking police officers in the illegal drug trade.

Of the 955 generals and full colonels in the PNP, 12 did not submit their courtesy resignations. According to Abalos,  only one senior officer “technically” did not comply because the other 11 have already retired or are about to retire.

Abalos earlier said the five-man advisory group is set to have a meeting on Monday to the start the screening.

The National Police Commission will also review the names of police officers whose resignations are accepted by the committee. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News