The selection of the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has been trimmed down to those who would be retiring after the 2016 presidential elections.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said a number of senior police officials have already been interviewed for the top police post who would replace PNPOfficer-In-Charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina who is set to retire next month.
“The President has already talked with some of the officials and maybe there will be a formal announcement in the coming days,” said Roxas in an interview.
But he could not whether or not the announcement would be made before, during or after the mandatory retirement of Espina on July 18.
Roxas, however, disclosed that the President’s first choices are those who are set to retire after the presidential elections.
“One of the most important duties of the next PNP chief is to ensure honest, orderly, peaceful and credible elections. The President does not want a scenario of two appointments before the 2016 elections,” said Roxas.
What the President wants is for the next chief PNP to have supervision of both the planning and the execution of security measures for the presidential elections.
MANILA BULLETIN
