PNP Chief, Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
AN investigation is now rolling to determine how an internal memorandum order reportedly signed by a ranking officer from the Cordillera Administrative Region Police Regional Office (PRO-COR) circulated on social media.
The circulated memorandum had sparked an alleged destabilization plot in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
On Monday, PNP Chief, Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said he ordered the PRO-COR to look into the supposed memo dated January 7, 2023 and signed by a certain Lt. Col. Dexter Ominga from the PRO-COR.
“We already directed the regional director of PRO Cordillera (Brig. Gen.. Mafelino Bazar) to look into the possible security lapses as far as the document security is concerned,” Azurin said in an interview with reporters at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Monday, Jan. 9.
The supposed memo has several versions and was circulated in at least three other PNP units involving the Special Action Force (SAF), and the police regional offices in Western Visayas (Region 6) and Caraga (Region 13).
However, they carried the same message: that Azurin placed the entire PNP on full alert status due to “destabilization movements from the AFP,” “developing issues in Camp Aguinaldo,” and “resignation of all officials of the Department of National Defense.”
The rumor was further fanned by the spread of images of PNP trucks mobilizing at Camp Crame but Azurin explained that this was only due to maintenance checkup. An earlier statement from the PNP stated that the assets were used to secure devotees attending the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
