Senior officers holding key positions in the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be the first to be assessed by the Five-Man Committee that was formed to evaluate the courtesy resignation of third level officers in the organizations amid the persistent allegations of involvement of cops in illegal drugs activities.
PNP chief information officer Col. Redrico Maranan said this was agreed during the initial meetings of the five members of the committee since it argued that their positions are relevant to the internal cleansing process in the police organization.
“Those on the top, or those holding key positions, will be the first to be assessed and evaluated since it was agreed that the positions they are holding are important for the proper management of the organization,” Maranan told the Manila Bulletin in an interview.
The Committee is composed of PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr., retired police general and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, former Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, retired police general Isagani Nerez, and retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Melchor Sadang.
It was formed after Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos asked the courtesy resignation of more than 900 senior police officers amid the allegations that the recycling of illegal drugs through the so-called ninja cops is still prevalent in the PNP.
Based on the agreement, those whose resignation would be accepted would be forced to retire, regardless of how long they are supposed to still stay in the PNP.
The mandatory retirement age of uniformed personnel of the PNP is 56 and those who were asked to resign include police colonels who have still at least eight years in the service.
“There will be a meeting of the Five-Man Committee this week to finalize and adopt the guidelines that will be used in the assessment and evaluation,” said Maranan who also serves as spokesperson of the Committee.
“All the documents are now ready, including the work sheets that will be used in order to expedite the entire process,” he added.
Of the 956 third level officers in the PNP who are covered by the courtesy resignation, only one of them did not comply.