Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 22) — Even though he doesn’t know who will succeed him, outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. hopes the next top cop is capable of continuing the probe into police officers linked to illegal drugs.
\”Whoever will be the designated chief PNP, I know naman na he’s also capable na ituloy kung saka-sakali man na ipasa ang pag-imbestiga nito,\” the outgoing chief told the media on Saturday.
[Translation: I know that he’s also capable of continuing this, if ever the investigation will be passed on.]
Azurin is set to retire from the force on Monday, April 24, the day he turns 56. This is the mandatory retirement age of the PNP.
On his replacement, Azurin said: \”So far, wala pa naman [there aren’t] any hints. I really do not know what’s in the mind of our president but I’m sure talagang [really] he’s thinking,\”
\”Our president is just keeping it to himself,\” he added.
RELATED: Azurin urges Marcos to carefully pick next PNP chief, claims syndicates operating within gov’t
\”All I wish now for the PNP is for them to decide if they want to continue our fight against illegal drugs or sabi ko na noong Lunes, itigil na natin to kung ayaw natin harapin at ayaw natin banggain kung sino man mababangga natin.\”
[Translation: …Like I said last Monday, let’s just stop this if we don’t want to face it and we do not want to hit whoever we may end up hitting.]
Last January, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos called on the top brass of the PNP to submit courtesy resignations as part of a massive internal cleansing program to rid the force of personnel with ties to illegal drugs
In February, the Department of the Interior and Local Government formed a five-man panel to screen 953 senior third-level police commissioned officers who submitted letters of resignation to determine if they were fit to continue service.
Azurin, who also tendered his resignation, is a member of this panel alongside Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, former Defense Secretary Gilberto \”Gibo\” Teodoro, retired police general Isagani Nerez, and retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Melchor Quirino Sadang.
Next week, the panel will submit its final report to Abalos for final review before it is forwarded to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for approval.
READ: 5-man panel completes review of PNP courtesy resignations
