MANILA, Philippines — With the Philippine National Police (PNP) still reeling from the “ninja cops” controversy, President Duterte has admitted he is having a hard time choosing the next chief of the 180,000-strong police force.
“It’s kind of a... not messy but... It’s very hard to at this time to choose a candidate... the appropriate guy. It’s difficult,” Duterte told reporters at Malacañang last Monday.
The President is looking for a new PNP chief after the country’s former top cop, general Oscar Albayalde, relinquished his post earlier than scheduled amid the controversy over some police officers’ involvement in drugs.
Albayalde, who is set to retire from the service on Nov. 8, has been accused of intervening in the case of his former subordinates tagged in the resale of illegal drugs seized in a raid in Pampanga in 2013. Albayalde was then the province’s police chief.
Albayalde denied the allegation and claimed that some retired generals were conspiring against him.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Duterte said honesty will be his criterion in selecting Albayalde’s successor.
“My only consideration, the only standard, the only thing that I would ask of the next PNP chief is honesty. Even if you are not intelligent, you’re not the number one in class in PNPA (Philippine National Police Academy) or PMA (Philippine Military Academy), even if you are the goat of the class but if you are the honest guy, I will go for you,” Duterte said.
“I’m trying to review everybody’s record and I need time. That’s why I lack sleep because I read it even with the initials of the big guys here... I really read but I just also would want to tell you that in my table there is no transaction… no transaction about money, public or private,” he added.
Duterte admitted he is taking into account Albayalde’s experience in appointing the next PNP chief but declined to comment on the case against him.
“They’re being investigated. I cannot really (preempt) but if it’s really true... the maximum that I can impose and I can assure you that the next PNP chief would lead his organization correctly,” he said.
Albayalde and 13 other police officers are facing charges of graft, qualified bribery, falsification of public documents, dereliction of duty and violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act in connection with the alleged questionable anti-drug raid in 2013.