Mindanaotoday.com | PNP-10: ‘Resignation is a test of character’
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To tender one’s courtesy resignation after 20 years in active service with the Philippine National Police (PNP) is both a challenge and a test of character, the PNP-10 regional director said Wednesday, January 18.
This was Brig. Gen. Lawrence Coop’s response, in a Cagayan de Oro Press Club forum, when asked for comment after he and 19 top-ranking police officers in Northern Mindanao handed in their resignation letters last week.
“This is to prove only few and involved in illegal drugs,” Coop said, echoing earlier disclosure from his superiors that less than 10 of some 950 generals and colonels may be involved in illegal drugs. “Hindi naman ‘to sapilitan (This is not forced resignation, though).”
At least 937 of them have heeded the call of the interior and local government secretary for courtesy resignations, as of January 18, in a bid to cleanse the police force from coddlers of persons engaged in illegal drug trade.
In region 10, only one, a colonel, has not tendered his courtesy resignation, out of 22 including two generals, the PNP-10 chief said, adding that one of the 19 colonels who took mass resignation challenge was reassigned to the national headquarters.
“I am ready to submit myself for (performance) assessment and evaluation,” the PNP-10 chief, who assumed his post five months ago. “This is the first time in 30 years that I am asked to tender courtesy resignation.”
He said PRO-10 has been relentless in their operations against illegal drugs, in coordination with the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency-10, and the campaign includes random drug tests on police officers.
He said three corporals who tested positive for use of prohibited substances have been dismissed from the service and a staff sergeant has been charged for violations of Republic Act 9165 before the prosecutor’s office.
Meantime, the chain-of-command from Camp 1Lt Vicente Alagar at Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro, the headquarters of the PNP-10, to police offices in five provinces and nine cities remain on “status quo” pending acceptance of resignations from the service.
“It’s up to the five-man (member) committee,” Coop said, referring to the probe body that has yet to be composed after the January 31 deadline for the submission of courtesy resignations.
The committee would then perform their task within a three-month period within or after which, its findings would be reviewed by the National Police Commission, and then to the Office of the President. (MT)
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