INTERIOR Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr., said that 95 percent of the Philippine National Police top brass have filed their courtesy resignations.
Abalos, in a press briefing, said of the 953 police generals and colonels in the country, 904 have already submitted their courtesy resignations as the government tries to rid the ranks of the Philippine National Police (PNP) of ties with the illegal drug trade.
“Sa ngayon, I was informed by our PNP chief [Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.] na ang nag-su-submit ng courtesy resignation ng ating mga generals at colonels ay umaabot na sa 95 percent,” he said.
Abalos added that 49 high-ranking PNP officers are still expected to turn in their courtesy resignations.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in a chance interview that the 904 consists of 774 colonels and 130 generals.
Previous records of the PNP showed that the institution has a total of 956 full police generals and colonels. But Fajardo clarified that this number decreased after three of them retired over the past days.
It was only last week when Abalos publicly appealed for top PNP officials to tender their courtesy resignations as the government pursues a “radical approach” in weeding out so-called ninja cops.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his administration had long been planning this move in line with its recalibrated campaign against illegal drugs.
A five-man committee will be formed to evaluate senior PNP officials who have submitted their courtesy resignations and go after police officers who are found to be involved in the illegal drug trade.
