HUNDREDS of senior Philippine National Police officials demoralized by their long-delayed promotion on Monday poured their wrath and sentiments on poor National Police Commission Vice-Chairman and Executive Office Alberto Bernardo whom they accused of having a hand on their sad situation.

They also want to know who is the Malacañang official mentioned by Bernardo as the one ‘holding on to the promotion papers’ of the PNP officials.

I learned of the incident from so many PNP officials who attended the closed-door meeting at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center with Attorney Bernardo whom they call as ‘VICEO,’ PNP chief, General Benjie Acorda and his Command Group and Manila (6th District) Representative Benny Abante Jr. from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Monday.

Before the meeting started, Rep. Abante asked Atty. Bernardo to swear to speak the truth and nothing but the truth before the Bible while senior police officials-from generals to colonels and lieutenant colonels watched hoping that the man they believe was responsible for their delayed promotion would finally be able to address their demoralization.

Discussed during the meeting were the sad plight of PNP 3rd-Level and 2nd-Level Officials whose promotion to the next higher rank have long been delayed due to reported opposition by the Napolcom.

One Lieutenant Colonel expressed disgust that his promotion to the rank of Colonel had been delayed so much although he will be retiring on May next year. Another cited the case of several officials who were promoted ahead of them apparently due to their ‘connections.’

Although the PNP leadership has sufficiently explained that there is no such thing as ‘technical malversation’ when it comes to promoting 3rd-Level Officials as well as explaining that the promotion of Brigadier Generals up to Lieutenant Generals occupying positions which were duly created by law should be processed in the usual manner and procedure, the Napolcom officials present failed to offer any solution to the problem, i learned.

Atty. Bernardo spoke of the Supreme Court when he was asked by an official on a legal matter during the meeting, I learned. Another expressed wonder why in the past, some got their promotion papers as the Napolcom cited that their cases were ‘urgent.’

I was told that there was a very tense atmosphere during the meeting that many compared it to a boxing match or a concert where dissatisfied spectators boo or throw eggs, papers or plastic bottles on the performers. ‘Kulang na lang, batuhin ng itlog,” one colonel told me.

I learned that Gen. Acorda also blew his top on the Napolcom officials present during the meeting. Bernardo was accompanied by a number of Napolcom directors. However, DILG chief, Secretary Benhur Abalos who is also the concurrent Napolcom chair was not around during the meeting.

“Sinira ninyo ang career ng mg senior officers na ito,” many officials quoted the top cop as telling Bernardo and company after it was revealed that when it comes to the so-called ‘aging’ of the promotion folders of the concerned officials at the Napolcom, many of them were supposed to have been promoted 5,6,7,8,9 or 10 months ago.

I learned that Bernardo failed to provide any ‘concrete solution’ to the promotion problem in the police force which has triggered widespread demoralization. The Napolcom official even said that there is a ‘3rd Party’ in Malacañang holding on the promotion papers of the PNP officials although he is not allowed to follow them up.

The agitated officials are now wondering who is the Malacañang official being referred to by Bernardo. Even Gen. Acorda asked Bernardo who is the Palace official he is referring to, I was told.

Now that Atty. Bernardo had spilled the beans, PNP 3rd-Level and 2nd-Level Officials wants to know the truth. Is there really a Malacañang official delaying the transmittal of their promotion papers?

I learned that Rep. Abante told concerned officials to file a formal complaint so that he can ask the House of Representatives to investigate the reason behind the delayed promotion the PNP. The lawmaker-Bible Baptist pastor even said that if worse comes to worse, he may even seek the abolition of the Napolcom for failing to do its job.

In the end, I learned that Gen. Acorda told his men that he will personally talk with PBBM to discuss the matter knowing fully well the demoralization in the Officers’ Corps due to the problem on their much-delayed promotion.

As I have mentioned in a previous column, many officials have dismissed rumors about a supposed destabilization plot against the 16-month old administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. but again, the problem facing the PNP leadership right now is the demoralization sweeping their ranks due to the much-delayed promotion issue.

So many 2nd-Level and 3rd-Level Officers of the police force are crying foul over their delayed promotion, with some of them set to retire next year, or maybe some of them retired already without getting their much-deserved increase in rank and pay.

What is clear and understandable here is that these ‘demoralized police officials’ have been ranting about the move by some of the President’s men to block their promotion although some have passed their scrutiny and their papers are now reportedly being processed.

What is clear here, the ‘demoralized police officials’ told me is that the promotion process in the PNP is really working although some people assigned in other government offices are delaying them for still unknown reasons. “We don’t know if some of them are helping the President or are just sabotaging the Palace,” one star-rank official told me.

With Gen. Acorda set to retire this coming December 3, the officials told me that the top cop still has one ‘unfinished business’ with regard to the long-delayed promotion issue. In fact, some of the 3rd-Level Officials said that if only they can, they want to have a dialog with PBBM, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Senate President Migz Zubiri and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin to air their grievance since they believe that the promotion process still works but only benefit some of their colleagues, underclassmen included.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon