Next PNP chief no longer a mystery

MANILA, Philippines – Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno declared yesterday that the official who will replace retiring Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. “is no longer a mystery.”

Puno hinted that seniority among police officials would be considered when Razon retires on Sept. 27 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.

“If you look at the seniority linear roster, there is a specific number of these individuals in the ranking,” he said.

Under the seniority linear roster, Deputy Director General Jesus Verzosa is next in line being the PNP Deputy Chief for Administration, the No. 2 man in command. Verzosa belongs to Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1976.

Deputy Director General Emmanuel Carta is the PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, the No. 3 man in the police force and member of PMA Class ’74; while Deputy Director General Ismael Rafanan is the Chief Directorial Staff, No. 4 man in the PNP and member of PMA Class ’75.

“I think Verzosa is the strongest candidate, considering the senior linear rosters, rank and designation,” Puno pointed out. “What we are trying to do in the PNP is to enforce the seniority rule. I think you can expect that, by and large, in the PNP, the seniority rule will be the main criterion.”

“Besides, the responsibility and the knowledge of the people in higher positions is assumed and presumed to be greater than those in other positions. We can see the way the whole PNP leadership has been going in the past three years,” Puno added.

Puno, the concurrent chairman of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), earlier said the DILG and the PNP have adopted a policy that the choice for the next PNP chief will be limited to the command group, mainly the PNP Directorial Staff.

“There has been no change in that policy,” Puno said.

President Arroyo had earlier admitted that six months before the appointment of then PNP chief Oscar Calderon, Palace and police officials knew of her choice, thus minimizing the bickering of aspirants for the highest position in the PNP.

With Razon’s successor no longer a mystery, Puno called on other aspirants to continue doing their job and not be distracted by their ambitions.

“It’s part of the job for all of them, it’s not bad to aspire for higher position but you know we should never let our aspiration get in the way of our better judgment, and everybody’s responsibility is to do the job that they are occupying now, and until they are assigned to another job they should not try to do the other job yet,” Puno added.