Mindanaotoday.com | Fate of 21 PNP-10 top brass in limbo
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Not one of the 21 top officials of the Philippine National Police 10 who have tendered courtesy resignations on Monday, January 9, is certain of his employment status.
“For now, it’s status quo,” said Maj. Joann Navarro, spokesperson of PNP-10, in a forum at the Cagayan de Oro Press Club boardroom on Wednesday, January 11.
Navarro said Brig. Gen. Lawrence Coop, the PNP-10 regional director who, along with Brig. Gen. Benedicto Pintor led 19 police colonels in Monday’s simultaneous signing of resignation letters, have to stay put.
She said that although the letters of resignation were addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., yet these are sent to the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management.
A Committee of Five is tasked to assist the PNP DPRM in evaluating the records of high-ranking PNP officials, the PNP-10 spokesperson said.
Navarro said the call of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos for resignations of PNP officials to pave the way for “cleansing” got mixed reactions, with PNP-10 leadership supporting it – to clear their names from being linked to illegal drugs.
She said that those in the lower ranks expressed apprehensions the services of those with utmost integrity, honesty, and professionalism would be cut short.
Police officers who have been in the service for at least 20 years are qualified to avail for optional retirement.
Nationwide, 956 high-ranking police officials have submitted courtesy resignations, so far.
Meanwhile, the PNP-10 spokesperson disclosed that 201 police commissioned officers (PCOs) in PNP-10 were granted one-rank promotions on Tuesday, January 10 – 23 majors, 168 captains, and 10 lieutenants.
Also promoted were 1,872 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) composed of corporals, master sergeants, senior master sergeants, and chief master sergeants.
“They (PCOs and PNCOs) were supposed to be given one-rank promotions last year (2022),” Navarro said. (MT)
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