Courtesy resignations at the PNP

There’s reportedly demoralization happening within the PNP, because of an order for all police generals and full-fledged colonels to tender their courtesy resignations.

The order from Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos is meant to ferret out top-ranking officers involved in the illegal drug trade.

To their credit, some police generals and colonels have already submitted their resignations.

Others say they’re not protecting drug traffickers and dealers, so they see no need to resign.

This situation is now a big headache for both Abalos and the Big Boss, President Marcos, who said that police officials involved in the drug trade would be sent to jail.

It’s clearly insubordination, but the disobeying generals and colonels seem to have the sympathy of the lower-ranking officials and rank and file.

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Abalos has formed a committee to evaluate all the officials concerned. They will then submit their recommendations on whose resignations will be accepted.

My little birdie (not that one, hehehe!) says that the committee will be composed of retired PNP generals: Panfilo Lacson, Nicanor Bartolome, Benjamin Magalong and Magtanggol Gatdula.

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Some of the generals who are reportedly involved in the drug trade have these initials: RM, RP, RR (who’s now retired) and MA.

Other PNP officials were reportedly wards of a Chinese person who was influential in the past administration. This man from China speaks neither English nor Tagalog.

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A police official who talked to me on condition of anonymity said that PNP Chief Azurin’s resignation should be accepted, not because he’s involved in the illicit drug trade but because he’s a weak leader.

According to this official, Azurin once ordered the relief of a PNP medical officer for trying to cover up for her husband.

But the PNP chief’s order was not obeyed.

The police medical officer allegedly covered up for her husband, who had sought first aid at the Camp Crame hospital for injuries sustained in a road mishap.

The mishap killed a civilian.

But the female officer allegedly said that her husband’s injuries were not related to the road mishap.

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The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila, not the Philippine National Police (PNP), should investigate the murder of model-businesswoman Yvonnette “Yvonne” Chua Plaza, whose killing was caught on CCTV camera.

An investigation of Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante by agents from the NBI national headquarters would preclude suspicion of a whitewash.

Durante, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), has mistahs (batchmates) in the PNP.

Durante also used to be the chief of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) during the time of President Digong Duterte.

His being chief of an Army brigade in the Davao region where his former ward, Mr. Duterte, is living in retirement makes the suspicion of a possible whitewash even more likely.

Plaza was shot point-blank by two men wearing motorcycle helmets while she was about to enter her home in Mintal, Davao City.

Plaza was killed months after she posted photos of herself with bruises and busted lips on social media. The posts went viral. She said she was beaten up by Durante.

“Yvonne was a friend. My name is being dragged based on an FB (Facebook) account made last April 2022 where I allegedly hurt her. She later retracted the post and issued a statement that I did not in any way harm her,” the general said.

What would Plaza get from posting those embarrassing photos of hers on social media and accusing the lover-boy general of beating her up?

Durante probably sweet-talked Plaza into retracting her accusation against him.

Durante said he was saddened by Yvonne’s death, and condoled with her family and friends.

Again, the investigation into Plaza’s murder should be transferred from the Davao City police station to the NBI-Manila office.

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Martial law veteran activist and playwright Bonifacio Ilagan has been receiving death threats from unknown callers, who said they were just waiting for “the final order from the higher-ups.”

Ilagan is at the forefront of exposing the abuses committed against human rights advocates during the unlamented martial law period.

True or not, the threats are a cause for concern not only for Ilagan and his fellow activists but for the government of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as well.

Junior’s administration would be the natural suspect if something untoward happened to Ilagan, even if the government didn’t have a hand in it.

Ilagan once took to the hills during Marcos Sr.’s martial law period and was arrested and tortured several times by security forces.

Ilagan, also known as Patrick Manahan to some friends, now lives peacefully. He was a director for my TV show, Isumbong mo kay Tulfo, for a long time.

Ilagan/Manahan told me that if military intelligence units were efficient, “they would have known that I had cut ties with the underground a long time ago.”

If I were the President, I would ensure that nothing happens to Ilagan/Manahan.

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Joke! Joke! Joke!

Never use a GPS (global positioning system) when going to a cemetery.

It’s not nice to hear, “You’ve reached your destination.”