Purisima urged to resign early

MANILA, Philippines - Resigned Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima was urged yesterday to retire early to give President Aquino a free hand in naming his replacement.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano lll said Purisima’s early retirement would resolve the predicament of Aquino.

“That is if there is no legal obstacle to his early retirement, it does not affect his benefits, and there is no other way for (Aquino) to appoint the next PNP chief,” he said.

Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, a former police official, has said in a television interview that he doubted whether Aquino could appoint as PNP chief an officer who does not hold the rank of director general.

“There is only one such rank under the law, and it is reserved for the PNP chief,” he said.

Albano said Congress should consider amending the PNP law to allow Aquino to appoint a deputy director general or another senior officer as PNP chief.

“We have to avoid or prevent a situation or legal problem such as the one the President is now facing,” he said. 

A situation could arise where a director-general who has several months or years more to serve before mandatory retirement could not be replaced after the Office of the Ombudsman suspends him, Albano said.

Malacañang said Aquino has asked his legal advisers to look into the legal issues in his appointment of Purisima’s successor.

Speaking over radio dzBB, retired PNP chief Panfilo Lacson said Purisima’s holding of the rank of director-general is not an obstacle for Aquino to appoint a permanent PNP chief.

“Well for the purpose appointing a chief PNP, it’s not a problem for General Purisima to remain in the PNP and continue to hold the four-star rank,” he said.

“The problem that would arise is that a police officer cannot get the four-star rank until (Purisima) retires because under the law there should only be one police officer with a four-star rank.”

Lacson said a new appointee can function as PNP chief even if he holds a three-star rank.

“The authority vested in the position of PNP chief allows him to function, like in (approving)  promotions,” he said.

Lacson said Aquino must not wait for Purisima to retire and must immediately name a permanent PNP chief. 

“It’s not a problem if the official to be appointed is a three-star general, since even a one-star general can be appointed as PNP chief,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and Lacson separately questioned the administration’s practice of naming police regional commanders in an acting capacity, saying this might affect the management of the PNP.