Philippine National Police Director General Ricardo Marquez has opted to retire on June 28, exactly two months before his mandatory retirement on August 28.
“Even before the election, I have said that whoever wins I will tender my courtesy resignation. I opted to retire early so that the incoming PNP chief [Chief Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa] will be able to hold the four star rank,” Marquez told reporters at Camp Crame.
“If I will not retire, the incoming chief would not be able to sport this four-star. So I told General Dela Rosa, I want you to hit the ground running come June 30. I will be out by then,” said Marquez who has been in the police service for 34 years.
Marquez said he is entitled to receive almost P8 million upon his retirement and he plans to build a house in Cavite.
“I will take some weeks to rest first. There have been job offers but when you have served the government for the past 34 years, you don’t want to think of working for the time being,” he added.
President-elect Rodrigo Duterte named Chief Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa to be PNP chief under his administration, but Deputy Director General Francisco Uyami will serve as officer-in-charge because Marquez will retire two days before Duterte assumes office.
Aside from Marquez, Deputy Director General Danilo Constantino, is also retiring early on July 24. Both Marquez and Constantino belong to Philippine Military Academy Class of 1982.
Meanwhile, the PNP has not filled the number two position in the organization, deputy chief for administration, since the retirement in March of Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo.