The association of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduates in the Philippine National Police (PNP) has called on the remaining 11 police senior officers to submit a courtesy resignation as part of the aggressive internal cleansing process in the organization amid the continuous allegations of the involvement of cops in illegal drugs trade.
Police Maj. Gen. Valeriano T. De Leon, president of the Police Cavaliers Association, Inc., said the submission of courtesy resignation that would pave the way for the assessment and evaluation of all full colonels and generals in the PNP is in consonance with what was taught in the PMA about courage, integrity and loyalty to the Filipino people.
"On behalf of the Police Cavaliers Association as its president, I am also appealing to the remaining 11 third-level officers to submit their courtesy resignations before the January 31 deadline," said de Leon.
"Regardless of impending retirement or other factors, the obligation to comply is an integral part of the chain of command, a requirement for moral ascendancy to lead, and a must to ensure that the Filipino people's trust and confidence are kept at all times," he added.
Only 11 of the 956 third level officers of the PNP are yet to submit courtesy resignation, some of them are PMA alumni. Three of them are generals who are set to retire before the Jan. 31 deadline.
It was Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos who called for the submission of courtesy resignation--all of them will be subjected to evaluation and assessment of the Committee of Five wherein one of the members is retired police general and now Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong, a PMA graduate himself.
De Leon explained that since 2016 when the PNP has been at the forefront of the campaign against illegal drugs, all the significant accomplishments have been tainted by the never-ending allegations of police involvement in the illegal drug trade.
"The same allegations hounded the PNP in the past; they have resurfaced now, and they will certainly haunt the entire police organization in the future unless drastic measures are implemented to cleanse the PNP—from top to bottom," said de Leon.
"The PMA Cavaliers Association fully backs Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr.'s call for third-level officers, including full colonels and generals, to tender a courtesy resignation as part of these efforts to clean up the police from the inside," he added.
De Leons also expressed gratitude to the PMAers, led by the four highest police official of the PNP, who already submitted a courtesy resignation.
"Let me also express my respect and deep admiration to the PMA Cavaliers and all the third-level officers who have already submitted their courtesy resignations without fear or hesitation," said de Leon.
"As PMA graduates, we were taught the importance of leadership and how a leader's good qualities cascade down the chain of command.Let us show then who we are and what we are made of—officers honed on the concepts of Courage, Integrity and Loyalty to the Filipino people whom we vowed to serve and protect," he added.