Post by E-Q on Aug 3, 2008 20:00:35 GMT 8
By Jaime Laude
Sunday, August 3, 2008
A contender for the top post at the Philippine National Police (PNP) is said to be actively enlisting the support of various groups and sectors to back his appointment as the next PNP chief.
PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. is set to retire on Sept. 27 on his 56th birthday.
Informed sources said despite the earlier pronouncements made by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno that Razon’s replacement would come from the command group, sources claimed an unnamed top contender is trying to convince members of the powerful Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to influence Malacañang on the appointment of the next national police chief.
The same contender is also courting the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to push for his appointment.
Without naming the police official, sources said he is now doubling his efforts to convince “influential people and groups” to support his bid.
Sources said the official even approached Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay to ask for the support of the entire city and local executives.
“Every weekend he is out of his office, going around the country enlisting support of influential groups, including Bishops, to endorse him to become the PNP chief,” another official added.
Aside from Deputy Director General Jesus Verzosa, the PNP’s Deputy Chief for Administration, other contenders include National Capital Regional Police (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias; Deputy Director General Emmanuel Carta, PNP Deputy Director Operations (DCO); Deputy Director General Ismael Rafanan, PNP chief for Directorial Staff; Deputy Director General Jefferson Soriano, chief of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM); and Director German Doria, chief of the PNP’s Operations.
Several police officials, on the other hand, said Verzosa is now focusing his efforts as Razon’s PNP reform manager.
But they also all agreed that selecting the next PNP chief is the sole prerogative of the President.
Verzosa and Soriano are both members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1976, while Carta and Doria belong to PMA Class of 1974 and Barias and Rafanan belong to PMA Class of 1975.
Razon, for his part, announced the turnover of the PNP leadership will be held either on Sept. 26 or Sept. 29, depending on the availability of President Arroyo, since she is scheduled for a trip abroad on Sept. 27 to 28.
“It (turn over of command) will either be on Sept. 26, a day before my 56th birthday, or Sept. 29. If it will be on Sept. 29, the arrangement is I will retire on my birthday and let my successor assume and I will just return for the turnover,” Razon explained, without naming his possible replacement.
He simply echoed the pronouncement of Puno that the identity of the next PNP chief is “no longer a mystery.” “We follow seniority, we will abide by that. Hopefully in the next few days the official announcement will be made by the President,” Razon said.
Puno explained the seniority linear roster indicates a specific ranking of police officers. Under the seniority linear roster, Verzosa is next in line, being second in the command of the PNP.
Carta, on the other hand, is third in the line of succession and Rafanan is the fourth, being the chief of the PNP Directorial Staff.