(CNN Philippines) — As far as the 150,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP) is concerned, Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina remains the country’s acting top cop and has not quit his post.
The clarification was made by PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. on Thursday (April 16) after reports circulated that Espina already tendered his resignation to President Benigno Aquino III last March.
Cerbo said that if Espina indeed resigned, the police force would have been properly notified considering the resignation had allegedly taken place a month ago.
“Wala pong ganyan sa official records ng PNP, wala kaming ganyang tala ng resignation ni Espina as OIC ng PNP. Nakita nyo naman, nabasa nyo kung saan galing ito, sabi daw nila na wala namang kinilalang source. Yan ang opisyal na pahayag ng PNP,” Cerbo told reporters.
[There is no official PNP record indicating that Espina resigned as OIC. You can attest to the fact that the news reports did not name their sources. This is the official statement of the PNP.]
He noted that it would not make sense added that Espina supposedly resigned last month and then get promoted last Tuesday (April 14) as full-time deputy chief for administration, which is the second highest post in the PNP.
Cerbo also cited the fact that earlier this April, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) even granted Espina additional authority to approve and issue permits for the import and transport of ordnance, to carry out disciplinary measures and to release funds.
“Hindi ko malaman paano mabibigyan ng logic itong alleged resignation,” Cerbo remarked.
[I don’t know how can there be logic in the alleged resignation.]
However, Cerbo said, if the alleged resignation took place verbally and privately between Espina and the President, only the two officials can confirm or deny the matter.
Espina has been serving as officer-in-charge since December after then PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima was slapped with a 6-month suspension order by the Ombudsman over graft, plunder and indirect bribery charges. Purisima later resigned in February in the wake of the Mamasapano incident which left 44 police commandos dead.
