PNP official to get PDEA portfolio?

MANILA, Philippines – A high-ranking official of the Philippine National Police is likely to be the next chief of the country’s premier anti-drug law enforcement body of the government.

Sources disclosed that PNP deputy director general for administration Jefferson Soriano is reportedly set to take over the post as head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reportedly as a concession for his early retirement in the PNP service.

The current PDEA chief is former Armed Forces chief-of-staff General Dionisio Santiago, an appointee of then President Arroyo. “Based on our reliable information and from our reading, General Soriano is 95 percent sure of getting the post (as PDEA) chief,” said a high-ranking police officer, who once also worked with the PDEA national headquarters.

For his part, Soriano, said Monday during honorary rites accorded to him by officers and members of the Police Regional Office 02, confirmed he is availing of an early retirement, or almost three months ahead of the mandatory retirement age. But Soriano, currently the second-in-command in the PNP hierarchy, described as “speculation” he will head the PDEA once he retires from the police service this month. “However,” he said, “if such a position were to be offered, I would accept it.”

“There has been no pressure applied on us to retire early. We are doing this for (PMA) junior classes to serve the (PNP) reins with adequate time,” said Soriano, who also denied of any concession in exchange for his early exit from the police service.

A Cagayan native, Soriano, as agreed with their remaining mistahs (classmates) in the police force, said that he will be retiring on Aug. 15, or almost three months earlier than Nov. 11, when he turns 56, the mandatory retirement age for PNP and military personnel.

“All these reports about my being offered the PDEA portfolio are pure speculation. But we are ready to accept any position in the government in which the President deems fit for our qualification, but that is up for the President to decide,” he said. He stressed that there was no pressure for them to retire early from the service ahead of the mandatory retirement age.