By Jennifer P. Rendon
It looks like the call of Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos, Jr. got a lukewarm reception among third-level police officers in Western Visayas
By third level, these are police officers who occupy Exclusive 1 positions that are often assigned to those with the rank of full colonel.
A PNP source who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity said third-level officers of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 were summoned to a command conference Friday, January 6, at the regional headquarters in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City.
Each of them was given the chance to express their opinion on Abalos’ statement, especially his call for full colonels and generals to tender their courtesy resignations as a way to cleanse the PNP of links to the illegal drug trade.
None of the 29 colonels present was amenable to tendering their courtesy resignation.
“And it’s not because they don’t want to cleanse the police organization of scallywags. They just don’t want to lose the careers they have worked on for more than two decades. They have several questions, all valid at that,” the source said.
Reports added that Brigadier General Leo Francisco, Western Visayas police chief, was left with no choice but to let his subordinate commanders decide for themselves on the courtesy resignation.
“Gen. Francisco respected it because it’s something personal. Aside from their career, they’re thinking also about the welfare of their family and the names they have made through the years. Papano na nag-resign sila at tanggapin. Will they be leaving their career and their fate to the five-person vetting committee?” the source added.
But the full colonels were all amenable to support the call of Abalos and the leadership of the PNP to flush out scalawags from the organization.
They also issued a statement that they would “heed the call of the DILG to cleanse the ranks of the PNP of rogue cops involved in illegal drugs.”
The statement will be sent to the PNP leadership in lieu of the courtesy resignation.
It was gathered that the PNP national headquarters has sent a template reply to Abalos’ appeal within which full colonels and generals must comply within 5 days.
Major Mary Grace Borio, PRO-6 spokesperson, said she was not privy to the response made by individual police colonels as to “their compliance/undertaking. It was a personal decision/response that they should do individually.”
“Respective documents were duly notarized and addressed to President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr.,” she said.
Borio said that the documents will be forwarded to the Discipline, Law and Order Division (DLOD) of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management.
It can be recalled that Francisco earlier said, “as a good soldier, I would heed the call of the DILG Secretary Abalos.”
As to the stand made by his subordinate commanders, Francisco said that he gave them a free hand to decide for themselves.
What’s unanimous, though, is the whole “PRO-6 will support Abalos and PNP chief General Rodolfo Azurin, Jr, in their sincere desire to weed the organization of scalawags.”
Meanwhile, another source said that officers have “low morale over what’s happening in the organization.”
“Parang ang bigat lang sa kanila why it has come this far. If the organization believed that their policemen were involved in illegal drugs, there should have been an investigation and prosecution,” the source said
STATEMENT
In a statement released to media Friday afternoon, the PRO-6 third level officers asserted that they would heed the call of Abalos.
“This, we are expressing our full support and cooperation to this noble objective and pursuant thereto, we have executed our personal compliances and undertakings to this effect.”
Further, “we are open to any inquiry, evaluation, or assessment by a duly constituted administrative body in relation to this noble goal of cleansing the ranks of the PNP.”
“We support the Chief PNP and the Regional Director, PRO6 for taking the lead in the attainment of this goal and we salute them both for taking up the cudgels on this task.”
“We condemn the illegal acts of the PNP officers who have tarnished the reputation of the organization by their involvement in illegal drugs. Rest assured, they shall be brought to the bars of justice.”
“We state further that we will take all necessary actions to help cleanse the PNP organization that we all love and have given our life-long honest service, commitment, and dedication.”
“We reiterate our commitment to serve and to protect our communities and our people.”
