President Duterte is still highly considering the three most senior police officials as the next chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), a Cabinet official said.
And amid the nearly three months delay in the appointment of the country’s top cop, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año is optimistic that the President would announce his appointment any day this month.
“I am just hoping that President Duterte will finally decide this January,” said Año in a text message.
Año admitted that the controversy stirred by the multi-million drug-recycling and extortion allegations against former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde is one of the main reasons why Duterte is having a hard time in choosing his replacement.
Albayalde was forced to quit days before his scheduled retirement last year due to the testimonies of former police generals who pinned him down on the issue of recycling confiscated shabu while he was still the provincial director of Pampanga.
Since Albayalde announced his resignation as Chief PNP in October, Duterte has not yet chosen the successor. The PNP is currently under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa as Officer-In-Charge.
Gamboa, a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1986, is among the three top contenders in the top police post.
The two others are Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, the deputy Chief for Operations; and, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the Chief Directorial Staff.
Both Gamboa and Cascolan are mistahs of Albayalde and former PNP chief and now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, being members of PMA Class 1986.
Eleazar, the former Metro Manila police chief, is a member of PMA Class 1987.
“We have three leading candidates to be the next PNP Chief and the President is really having a hard time deciding because all the three are close to him,” said Año.
And in order to make the selection process fair, Año said the President made a parameter in choosing the next PNP chief.
The main requirement, according to Año, is that who among the three leading contenders have both the guts and integrity to make the illegal drugs war more effective.
“So he is studying the performance of these three and whoever make the assurance that the drug war will be successful, the President will choose him,” said Año. (Aaron Recuenco)
