DAVAO CITY (PNA) – Three generals and twenty-two colonels from the Police Regional Office in Davao region (PRO-11) tendered their resignation on Friday, Jan. 6, supporting the Department of Interior and Local Government's (DILG) effort to weed out scalawags.
In an interview, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Silo Jr., the PRO-11 regional director, said they are in unison in supporting the call of DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr.
"We set aside legalities, and we do it purely on moral stance and as a challenge to our character. I think this is one sure way for us to occupy the moral high ground in the campaign against illegal drugs," Silo said.
Silo assured that the resignation of top officers of the PRO-11 has no direct effect on their operational activities against illegal drugs.
"We will be doing the same thing; in fact, we will be strengthening and lengthen our Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations (SACLEO)," he said.
While they have tendered their resignation, Silo clarified that they will still be occupying the same position while waiting for the result of the evaluation from the five-man committee to be named by the DILG and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
He assured that none from the PRO-11 has been involved in any illegal drug activities.
Meanwhile, Abalos thanked the move and support from the men in uniform not only from PRO-11 but in the entire country.
"It is an act of honor. When the institution is challenge by these ‘ninja cops,’ I believe that the PNP will answer our call," he said in an interview here.
Abalos divulged that the five-man committee that will deliberate and evaluate the resigned officials includes Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
"He has impeccable credentials. I cannot mention the other members of the committee for security purposes," he added.
He said the committee will check through the intelligence report, deliberate, and go through a process in identifying scalawag members of the PNP.
"We will accept their resignation. They can consider it as an early retirement and they still have intact benefits. However, if the evidence is so great and there is a need to file a case, that's the time to check if they can get their benefits," Abalos added.