‘Only President has say on choice of PNP chief’

President Arroyo has the "sole and exclusive prerogative" to choose the next chief of the Philippine National Police, Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters at Camp Crame, Reyes said it does not matter whether the PNP chief to be picked by Mrs. Arroyo would have a short term.

"The choice of the director general of the PNP is the exclusive prerogative of the President, and in the exercise of this prerogative, it is her judgment. I am of the belief that whomever we may place director general of the PNP can do the job.

"What I am saying is whether it is revolving door or not revolving door, because the institution is there. You are not getting somebody from the outside and not making him director general of the PNP. These people have been with the police force for over 30 years."

Reyes said all police officials are qualified to become PNP chief, and that candidates are not limited to those holding three-star ranks. "All of whom have been in the service for at least 30 years so they are not coming in with zero experience," he said.

"So anybody that you appoint to that position can handle the job. All of the candidates have eminently prepared themselves. So it is a question of judgment by the President with whom she feels most comfortable. In terms of capacity to deliver."

Meanwhile, Jose Calida, Dangerous Drugs Board executive director, said yesterday there is no legal impediment for Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay to be named PNP chief. "The law is clear Aglipay can be appointed to the top PNP post," he said.

Calida said under Republic Act 8551, the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act, the PNP chief is not covered by the requirement that no police officer can be appointed to a major post a year before reaching the retirement age of 56. Aglipay is set to retire on Sept. 13.

Calida said he does not think the appointment of Aglipay as PNP chief would demoralize the rank and file of the police force.

"His appointment would be in accordance with law," he said.

"Nobody can debate the President on her sole prerogative in appointing a retiring general to the PNP post. We have one PNP, and it cannot be divided because somebody was appointed as chief PNP."

Aglipay said he met yesterday with the four other contenders — Deputy Director General Virtus Gil and Directors Enrique Galang, Avelino Razon and Oscar Calderon.

"We arrived at a gentleman’s agreement to support whoever is designated by President Arroyo as the next PNP chief," he said.

Razon said the talks took place at Aglipay’s office at around 10 a.m. yesterday.

"We had a collective agreement that we will work for one PNP ... The initiative was made to remove the doubt that there was infighting at the organization," he said.