While his name is continuously being floated as the next top cop, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is actually still at a loss if he will still be qualified to occupy new post once his suspension ends next month.
Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta is facing two cases before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged anomaly in contract to deliver gun licenses and the controversial issue about the missing 1,000 pieces of AK-47 which was allegedly sold to the New People’s Army (NPA).
Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, PNP spokesman, said the PNP leadership, through the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) is planning to seek the advice of the Office of the Ombudsman on the dilemma over the charges against Petrasanta.
Petrasanta was suspended for six months over the Werfast gun license delivery deal along with resigned PNP chief Alan Purisima. Another suspension order, this time for the AK-47 case, will end on July 5.
Petrasanta was the director of the Central Luzon regional police office when the suspension order was served. Both the two cases against him were in connection with his designation as head of the Firearms and Explosives Office.
As Petrasanta has long been rumored to be the successor of Purisima, there are talks that his suspension is the reason why President Aquino could not appoint a permanent PNP chief.
Petrasanta, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1984, is said to be very close to President Aquino, reportedly the same closeness that Purisima enjoys.
Over the weekend, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said the choice for the next PNP chief was narrowed down to those whose retirement date is beyond June 30 next year.
Except for Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo who is set to retire in March next year, the rest of the contenders have retirement dates beyond 2016 like Director Benjamin Magalong of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and Director Ricardo Marquez, head of the Directorate for Operations. Petrasanta will retire in 2017.
MANILA BULLETIN
