METRO MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police said that despite having an officer-in-charge, it needs a new chief to approve the disbursement of project funds and procurement of equipment.
Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, on Tuesday said that despite having an officer-in-charge, the police force is unable to function without a permanent chief who can approve the disbursement of funds for projects and procurement of equipment.
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“Inaasahan natin na may pangangailangan tayo pagpasok ng January 2020, [kaya] kinakailangan natin ng permanent chief [ng] PNP,” Banac said in a Tuesday press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
(We expect needs to arise when we enter January 2020, which is why we need a new permanent chief of the PNP.)
The president is reportedly having difficulty finding an “honest” replacement for former PNP Chief General Oscar Albayalde, who stepped down from his post on October 14 in relation to the "ninja cops" controversy.
“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 in October.
Albayalde was accused of intervening in the dismissal of 13 police officers accused of recycling around 162 kilos of shabu seized in a 2013 raid in Pampanga.
“Subalit kung hindi gagawin ng pangulo ay wala namang problema...wala pa naman tayong nakikitang problema so far,” Banac said.
(If the president does not act on it, there’s no problem...at least in the foreseeable future.)
Banac said Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, PNP officer-in-charge, still has the power to order the dismissal, recruitment, and reshuffling of police officials as mandated by the National Police Commission or Napolcom.
Gamboa, along with PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan and Directorial Staff chief Major Gen. Guillermo Eleazar are considered the frontrunners for the top post.