(Eagle News)–Almost 600 police generals and colonels have already filed their courtesy resignations, Philippine National Police chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said on Monday, Jan. 9.
Their submissions came days after Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos urged the specified PNP officials to do the same as part of the government’s efforts to rid the national police force of police scalawags.
Abalos had said a five-man team would review the resignations.
If a police official was found to be clean, his or her resignation would not be accepted, Abalos had said.
Abalos at that time did not identify the members of the five-man team, but later said that it included Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, a retired general.
Magalong is credited for leading the investigation into the Mamasapano massacre in 2015, when 44 Special Action Forces members were killed during a mission to neutralize Southeast Asia’s most wanted terrorist Zulkiplin bin Hir alias “Marwan,” and for writing the report that held responsible even some of the country’s then-highest-ranking officials for the botched operation.
He was relieved as the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief following his report.
Magalong also testified in a Senate inquiry in 2019, dropping the names of police officials he said were protectors of illegal drug syndicates.
This led to a massive probe, which resulted in then-PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde resigning after some of his men were tagged in an irregular drug operation in Pampanga when he was still the province’s police director.
According to Azurin, the almost 600 courtesy resignations were based on reports from different police regions and units.
He said some of the courtesy resignations were already en route to the PNP headquarters for collation and submission to the five-man team.
He added he would also be subjected to the screening once he retires in April this year.
