Resigned PNP Generals, Colonels Face Lifestyle Checks

The senior police officials who tendered their courtesy resignations in response to a call from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will be subjected to a lifestyle check, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

Azurin said the lifestyle checks would be undertaken by a five-member committee that would be formed to assess and evaluate the generals and full colonels who submitted their courtesy resignations.

“Definitely, that would be part of the investigation or inquiry that will be conducted by the committee to assess and evaluate all third level officers,” he told reporters in an ambush interview at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

It means Azurin will undergo the same procedure as he has also tendered his courtesy resignation.

Around 500 of the 956 third level police officers have so far submitted their courtesy resignations.

Azurin said he has yet to receive an update from the PNP Directorate for Records and Personnel Management (DPRM) if any of the police officials under probe for suspected links to illegal drug trade have submitted their resignation letters.

He earlier said less than 10 senior police officers are under probe for illegal drugs.

Azurin led the oath-taking, donning and pinning of ranks ceremony for 43,823 second level police officers who were promoted to the next rank.

At Camp Crame, 1,172 newly promoted police officers assigned at the national headquarters took their oath before Azurin. Similar activities were held in police offices across the country.

Azurin called on the police officers to take part in the PNP’s internal cleansing program to weed out scalawags, especially those involved in the illegal drug trade.

“That should be a no-no to every PNP personnel and you should always try to bear that in mind. It’s our obligation to our community to enforce the law and we should not get involved in illegal drugs,” he said.

Azurin encouraged the police officers to continue to learn and be actively involved in promoting the PNP’s best practices while building strong relationships with peers and the community.

“As you move up the career ladder, it is important to remember that with greater authority comes greater accountability. And as future leaders of the PNP it is your duty to serve as role model to your fellow officers,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Civil Service Commission said PNP officials requested by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos to submit courtesy resignations are presidential appointees.

“As such, their appointments to the government service are not attested to by the CSC and thereby outside the purview of the CSC and its disciplinary jurisdiction,” the agency said in a statement on Monday night, Jan. 9.

“In order to preserve any final determination of the issue in the proper forum, further comment on the matter may not be appropriate at this time,” it added.

President Marcos has expressed support for Abalos’ call for courtesy resignations, saying it is part of his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs. – With Janvic Mateo