Almost all of the senior police officials have submitted their courtesy resignations save 11 who are still weighing their options, said Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
Meanwhile, the PNP is further boosting its anti-subversion campaign even as the strengthen of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), is declining following the recent death of CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison.
Eight colonels and three brigadier generals have until Jan. 31 to submit their courtesy resignations, Azurin told reporters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“Maybe they are still trying to discern whether ‘I will still submit because I am nearing retirement.’ But to us, we also still encourage them to just submit so that at least somehow you will be totally cleared whatever the outcome of this evaluation and review of the individual involvement of everyone in illegal drugs),”Azurin said.
A five-man committee has been formed to conduct life style checks on the PNP officials who were asked to tender their resignations. The panel will submit their findings and recommendations to President Marcos.
Former police general and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong was earlier named as one of the members of the panel. The names of the four other members are yet to be announced.
The National Police Commission would also review the names of police officers whose resignations will be accepted.
Azurin said as of Jan. 20, the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management discipline, law and order divisio has received the courtesy resignation of 942 senior PNP officers out of a total of 953 third-level police officials.
“Definitely, the PNP will look into this. If they did not submit, we don’t have any record. The PNP will study if there are indicators of them being involved in illegal drugs during their incumbency as third level officers and (even) after reaching retirement,” he said.
In the press briefing in Camp Crame, Azurin also said the ] PNP is off to a strong start in the national campaign against illegal drugs \ this year with encouraging results.
He said the first 16 days of 2023 were highlighted by the seizure of more than P81 million worth of illegal drugs during 1,831 police operations.
During the same period, he said 2,518 drug suspects were arrested, among them 146 considered high-value targets.
“I would like to point out that anti-illegal drugs operations are among the priority operational thrusts of the PNP this year with greater emphasis on demand reduction ef orts through rehabilitation, treatment, and training while simultaneously staging intelligence-driven operations in supply reduction by hitting hard on big-time drug syndicates and big personalities engaged in large-scale drug trafficking,” Azurin said.
The PNP chief also said the peace and order indicator for the first 21 days of this year generally decreased by 23.66 percent or 8,391 incidents from 10,991 incidents for the same period last year.
He added the index crimes went down by nearly 30 percent or from 2,250 cases from Jan. 1 to 21 last year to 1,576 this year.
Azurin also briefed the journalists on the government’s anti-communist insurgency drive.
“As of now, based on the information we have gathered, there was a bit of a breakdown of communication among the CPP-NPA members because they could not yet figure out who would replace the position vacated by Sison,” Azurin said.. Ranking communist leaders, couple Benito and William Tiamzon, who are purportedly next in line, were reported to have been killed in a clash with soldiers in Catbalogan City.
“Tiamzon will be taking over but Tiamzon is missing so as of now it is not clear who the leadership will be and the PNP and the AFP are taking advantage of the situation b cause we wanted more and more people to gradually return to our government on the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that is the unity. So this is an opportunity for the government to take advantage in the ongoing struggle who will take over the seat of power of the CPP-NPA if any,” Azurin said.
Defense and security experts said Sison’s death was a severe blow to the CPP-NPA since there were no other leaders who have his charisma.
The national government, through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, has been pursuing localized peace talks with the communist rebels.
The move reportedly led to the surrender of hundreds of CPP-NPA fighters and supporters in the past few years.
The AFP earlier said out of the 89 guerrilla fronts recorded in 2016, only 24 or 23 are left with only five remaining active or capable of conducting any actions. Meanwhile, Azurin lauded Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, Police Regional Office (PRO) director for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for facilitating the surrender of 30 members of the Dawlah Islamiya (DI) extremist group operating in Maguindanao.
The returnees were composed of 30 Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and two DI-listed private armed group (PPAG) members under leader Mohammad Andoy.
They turned in 33 high-powered firearms, including improvised explosive devices and hand grenades.
Guyguyon said the BIFF members under the Karialan and Bungos factions were all operating in Maguindanao del Sur, including the neighboring towns of Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato.
The two DI-PPAG members were operating in Pagalungan, Maguindanao del Sur.
Guyguyon said the continued pressure faced by the BIFF members, coupled with discontentment with their leadership, compelled the extremists to return to mainstream society.
