Hundreds of police officers have tendered their resignation letters a week after Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos appealed to third level police officers to file their courtesy resignation amid some police personnel’s reported involvement in the illegal drug trade.
According to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., 500 senior officials, including colonels and generals, have already tendered their resignations.
Additional 400 police officers are expected to submit their courtesy resignation this week.
Those behind the group “innocent PNP 3rd Level Officers” who opposed the call for a courtesy resignation may face an administrative case.
“If they are truly innocent, I think there are no reasons to hide under the ‘third-level innocent’ na tag,” Azurin said.
Meanwhile, the PNP leadership welcomed the selection of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as part of the committee to look into colonels and generals of the PNP.
Magalong formerly served as chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
In a media interview of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during his inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 last Jan. 6, Marcos reiterated his commitment to address the illegal drug problem in the country by cleansing the PNP ranks.
“We were planning this for a while… Remember during the campaign, ‘nung tinatanong ako kung ano ang gagawin natin tungkol sa drug war or durg problem. This is it. We approached it in [an] entirely different way,” Marcos said.
“Alam naman natin na yung problema sa drugs hindi mangyayari ‘yan kung hindi kasabwat yung mga iba dyan sa pulis,” he added. –Reports from Bea Bernando & Katrina Gracia Consebido-ag
READ MORE: PBBM: Cleansing PNP ranks part of anti-illegal drugs campaign
