PHILIPPINE National Police chief, General Jun Azurin hit the nail right on the head when he declared that there should be no ‘business as usual’ for previously well-entrenched drug syndicates under a new police general who will succeed him as our top cop on Monday, April 24.

Flanked by over a dozen senior police generals, the top cop made a ‘no-holds barred’ press conference where he revealed that he had already talked with President Bongbong Marcos Jr. to explain the truth behind the controversial P6.7-billion shabu bust in Manila last October which was uncovered by the SITG 990 headed by Major Gen. Ely Cruz after 21 meetings.

Most importantly, he said that he had warned PBBM to be very careful in selecting the one who will replace him once he retires from his post. “I have to warn the President, be careful in selecting my successor. I’d like to warn the President na very critical ang papalit sa akin,” he said.

The PBBM-Azurin meeting meant only one thing: that the President met him one-on-one because he has his full trust and confidence on the member of PMA ‘Makatao’ Class of 1989 who became the 1st PNP chief he appointed and the 28th Peemayer to lead the national police force since it was established in 1991.

Gen. Azurin said he is yet to recommend his successor to the Commander-in-Chief.

“Yung Presidente natin ay napakatalino na tao. Hindi mo siya mai-influence. Wala akong binanggit na sinuman. Nung makita niya report, nandun yung report ng SITG 990. Ang sabi ko lang, yung susunod na Chief,PNP, dapat niyang pagisipang mabuti Sir. Yung pipiliin mong Chief,PNP, interviewin mo sila and you will know kung sino pipiliin mo,” he said.

“I did not name names. My suggestion lang is, Mr. President, if you have time, interview them. Napakatalino ni Presidente. Tumawa lang siya, I don’t know if he’s agreeing with me pero nakikinig siya,” the outgoing top cop said.

Gen. Azurin said it is very clear to him that the syndicate behind the foiled distribution of more than a ton of shabu last year is trying to muddle the result of the investigation of the SITG 990. He added he was shocked that he has been placed in the center of a major controversy two weeks before his actual retirement day.

“Isa lang ang msasabi ko, usually ang away (before a PNP chief’s retirement) is yung mga contenders. Pero dito, self-preservation ng sindikato. Gusto nilang lagyan ng malice ang investigation. They’re looking for a new Chief,PNP that would be business as usual,” Gen. Azurin said.

The top cop was speaking from the heart since this coming April 24, PBBM will be appointing his 2nd chief of the Philippine National Police—the 29th top cop since the PNP was created in 1991-unless he extends the term of Gen. Azurin.

As I have said before, extending the term of a sitting PNP chief or appointing another one from any of the 1-star up to 3-star police generals will always be a prerogative of the Chief Executive as the Commander-in-Chief.

The appointment of the next PNP chief will be crucial since he will not only be leading the organization’s war on drugs, criminality, terror and corruption but will be appointed on a time that the entire country is preparing for the scheduled Sangguniang Kabataan and Barangay elections. 2022 national and local elections.

Many police officials-active and retired-have also agreed with me that next to the President, the PNP chief may be considered to be the 2nd most powerful official in the country, having in his command the 222,000-strong police force which has presence in virtually all part of the country or from Aparri to Jolo.

Thus, the PNP chief must possess the competency and integrity to handle the job as he will be answerable to both the PNP’s internal and external audience. He should have the dogged determination to do the job, the needed track record and service reputation, a ton of contribution to the country’s peace and order campaign, and most importantly, the loyalty to the Constitution and the duly-constituted authorities.

The law says that the President, as the Commander-in-Chief shall appoint the PNP chief from among a list prepared by the Napolcom of ‘the most senior and qualified officers in the service” given that the prospect appointee has not yet retired or within six months from their compulsory retirement age.

The law also says that the “lowest rank of a qualified appointee shall be the rank of Police Brigadier General. As PNP chief and an Ex Officio member of the Napolcom, the Chief,PNP is given the power to command and direct the police force.

Since 1991 to date, the PNP already had 28 Chiefs, the 1st being the late Gen. Cesar P. Nazareno and the 28th being Gen. Azurin. It should be interesting to note that all the PNP chiefs the country has had since 1991 were all products of the prestigious Baguio City-based Fort del Pilar, the home of the PMA.

Thus, President Marcos really has to make another wise and brilliant decision when it comes to choosing the next Chief,PNP who must have the good service reputation, sterling service record, untarnished integrity and the most important of them all, loyalty to the Constitution and the duly-constituted authorities.

If seniority were to be the basis of the presidential decision, the most logical successors to Gen. Azurin would be members of his Command Group: his mistah from PMA Class 1989, PNP Deputy Chief for Administration, Lieutenant Gen. Rhodel Sermonia; PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Major Gen. Jonnel Estomo; and PNP The Chief of Directorial Staff, Lt. Gen. Mike Dubria.

Sermonia will be retiring from the police force on January 26 next year while Estomo, a member of PMA ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class of 1992 who is now the country’s 3rd highest police official will leave the service on November 25, 2024.

Lt. Gen. Dubria of PMA ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991 will retire on December 20, 2024.

If Lt. Gen. Sermonia will be picked by the President, he will have nine months to lead the force. If it would be Maj. Gen. Estomo, he will be the PNP chief for 19 months while if it would be Lt. Gen. Dubria, he will serve for 20 months.

However, Republic Act 8551 or the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998 says that “Except for the Chief, PNP, no PNP member who has less than one (1) year of service before reaching the compulsory retirement age shall be promoted to a higher rank or appointed to any other position.”

By looking at that provision, other senior generals who will be retiring from the force days or weeks from now may also qualify for the race.

They include the other classmates of Gen. Azurin from PMA Class 1989: Major Gen. Jess Cambay Jr. and Val de Leon; the members of PMA ‘Bigkis Lahi’ Class of 1990 led by Lt. Gen. Pipoy Natividad and Maj. Gen. Ely Cruz and the other members of PMA Class 1991 including Lt. Generals Filmore Escobal, Vic Danao Jr. and Patrick Villacorte.

I also believe that PNP Academy-bred generals led by Major Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo of PNPA ‘Tagapagpatupad’ Class of 1992 may also spring a surprise in the years to come.

However, it should also be considered that the President’s trust and confidence will always play a major role in his decision plus the recommendation from his most trusted lieutenants and security officers including DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and of course, Gen. Azurin.

That brings to the fore other police generals from PMA who are now holding key positions in the force. Two of them are PNP Director for Intelligence, Major Gen. Benjie Acorda Jr., also of PMA Class 1991 and Police Regional Office 4-A director, Brigadier Gen. Tateng Nartatez Jr., another member of PMA ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class of 1992 who will be the last member of a PMA class in the PNP to retire. Brig. Gen. Nartatez will retire on March 19, 2027.

Tagged as the ‘dark horse’ in the race, Maj. Gen. Acorda and Brig. Gen. Nartatez traces their roots in the Ilocos region, the Solid North and have served with distinction in the region. Apart from their good performance, the two are also known to be being backed by President Marcoses’ most trusted aides and confidantes.

Acorda however will be retiring from the force this coming December 3, giving him less than eight months to lead the organization in case he gets the nod of the President. On the other hand, Brig. Gen. Nartatez still has four years to left in the service as he is the youngest among all the contenders.

Gen. Azurin said that what is clear on his mind is that he will recommend to the President a more stricter Chief,PNP. “Ang ire-recommend ko kay President ay yung mas mahigpit pa sa akin kasi naglelevel-up na tayo. Ako yata ang Chief,PNP na walang asim, walang arrive kaya ang kelangan natin na next Chief,PNP ay mas mahigpit. Let us not compromise the President, he is the only person we got para iangat ang ating ekonomya,” he said.