Azurin

Azurin inducts 3 new police generals amid ongoing courtesy resignation

January 9, 2023 Alfred P. Dalizon 1623 views

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., on Monday afternoon, inducted into office three newly-promoted police 1-star generals amid the ongoing courtesy resignation of all PNP 3rd-Star Officers.

Those who took their oath of office before the PNP chief were Brig. Generals Gil Francis G. Tria, Lope Ma. U. Lim, and Reynaldo B. dela Cruz.

Tria is currently the Deputy Regional Director for Administration of the Bangsamoro Administrative Region Police Regional Office (PRO), while Lim is the director of the Regional Internal Affairs Service 5 in the Bicol region.

De la Cruz is the director of the RIAS 11 in Southern Mindanao. The RIAS is under the PNP Internal Affairs Service.

Azurin also announced a minor reshuffle of some PNP positions. Named to their new posts were Colonel Jerick Royales, who took over as the new PNP Information Technology Management Service director vice newly-retired Brig. Gen. Harris Fama; Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Bayting, the erstwhile DRDA of the PRO 2 in Cagayan Valley as the new director of the PNP Maritime Group vice Brig. Gen. Harold Tuzon, whom the PNP chief said will be given a 2-star position.

Col. Martin Defensor as the new DRDA of PRO4-B in Mimaropa region; Col. Jerry Protacio as the new Executive Officer of the PNP Directorate for Information Communications Technology Management; Brig. Gen. Belli Tamayo as the new Deputy Director of the Area Police Command-Southern Luzon; Brig. Gen. Victor Wanchakan as the new Deputy Director of the APC-Western Mindanao; and Brig. Gen. Alan Nazario as the new DICTM Deputy Director.

Azurin said that as of Monday, more than half of the 965 3rd-Level Officers in the PNP have already tendered their courtesy resignation.

“As of yesterday, we were able to account more or less close to 600 as reported by different PNP regions and units. Yung iba, enroute na papunta sa National Headquarters na ipapasa naman sa 5-Man Committee to be formed by no less than our Commander-in-Chef, President Marcos,” the top cop said.

According to the PNP chief, these 3rd- level officers have already submitted their courtesy resignations while others have also signified their commitment in response to the appeal of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos Jr. for them to render courtesy resignation with a desire to cleanse the ranks of the PNP from misfits, especially those involved in illegal drugs activities.

“Significantly, no less than our Commander-in-Chief, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. [has] also expressed his full support on this initiative with [an] ardent desire to eventually get rid of rogue cops and scalawags in the PNP,” he said.

“Having said that, I am calling again on all remaining PNP Generals and Colonels, to have the courage to subject yourselves to the assessment and evaluation process. Let us all be reminded of the words of Charles de Gaulle, a French General and a Statesman, which states that ‘Men who adopt the profession of arms submit their own free will to a law of perpetual constraints of their own accord.’ Our current situation calls for [a] reflection on this. When we took an oath to be in the uniformed service, we have ceased to become the master of our own fate,” the top cop said.

Azurin maintained that as police officers and as members of the armed services, “we are sworn in to defend our country. We must always remember the important role that we play in maintaining order and safety in our society. This requires a level of professionalism that is unmatched in any other profession.”

“Hence, we have been entrusted with a great responsibility to conduct ourselves with the highest level of discipline, professionalism, and integrity, and must never ever engage in any illegal activities, especially those related to illegal drugs. It is important to remember that by engaging in illegal drug activities, you are not only undermining the trust of the community, but you are also betraying the core values and standards of the police force. A betrayal to the highest degree!” he underscored.

The PNP chief assured the Filipino people that they hold every police officer accountable for their actions, which will increase the overall accountability within the organization’s way forward, transforming the entire PNP into a stronger and more responsive police agency that is mounting a genuine internal cleansing program.

“While some are not receptive [to] the manner we are trying to cleanse our ranks, I ask every Filipino to support the PNP and join the government’s crusade to reduce the demand for illegal drugs as well as reduce its supply,” he said.

“That while our organization is going thru a genuine Internal Cleaning process, I believe that it is high time for every Filipino family to conduct their own personal check among every member to determine if someone in their household is involved or not. This way, everyone is deemed cooperating and participating in the government’s effort to stop the proliferation of drugs in our communities, workplace, schools, jails and other possible distribution areas of drug peddlers,” Azurin added.

“As a form of civic duty and genuine concern to their loved ones, every Filipino family should start keeping watch on their own members and help in the campaign of eradicating this menace that for so long is afflicting our society,” said the PNP chief who proudly announced that he, his wife and their three children are not in any way involved in the use, possession, manufacture, trade, or sale of illegal drugs.

The PNP chief also maintained that officials who are claiming there are “innocent 3rd-Level Officers” should heed the call of the DILG chief and the President. “There’s no reason for them to hide.

Everyone is being challenged to submit their courtesy resignation; this is an individual test of an individual character,” he maintained.

He also brushed off claims by their critics that they are “bringing the house down” with their appeal for the “courtesy resignation” of senior police officials.

“We don’t bring down the house. Ang ginagawa natin ay imbestigahan, ma-clear ang mga 3rd-level officers as sooner or later they will occupy key positions, aangat pa sila. After this exercise, they will be in a clean slate. They will have the moral ascendancy to tell their men, kung kami nga cleared, why yung mga 2nd-level officers hindi,” Azurin said.

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