The race to become the next Philippine National Police (PNP) chief has been kicked wide open following the Office of the Ombudsman’s unprecedented dismissal of 11 police officials including three police generals Tuesday.
Also feeling a kick in the gut from the decision is President Benigno Aquino III, whose BFFs
Director General Alan Purisima and Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta were among those ordered sacked.
The dismissal of the PNP officials stemmed from their involvement in the alleged anomalous deal between the national police force’s Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) and courier firm Werfast back in 2011.
Petrasanta, the former Central Luzon police chief, was reportedly the frontrunner among the handful of candidates pegged to replace Purisima, who resigned as PNP chief in late January after the bloody Mamasapano siege.
With the disgraceful dismissal order hanging over Petrasanta’s head, only two “contenders” remain in the PNP leadership sweepstakes: Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr. and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Chief, Director Benjamin Magalong.
President Aquino has noticeably been taking his time in naming a permanent replacement for his buddy Purisima, and has instead banked on the effective but diminished leadership of PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director Leonard Espina.
Espina, whose OIC post is not as powerful as that of a full-fledged chief, is set to retire this July.
Purisima and Petrasanta are the former aides of the late president Cory Aquino, mother of President Aquino.
Purisima, President Aquino’s former bodyguard, had just finished serving a six-month preventive suspension order issued by the Ombudsman late last year in connection with the Werfast controversy.
Also ordered dismissed were Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles, Senior Superintendent Allan Parreño, Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto, Senior Superintendent Melchor Reyes, Superintendent Lenbell Fabia, Chief Inspector Sonia Calixto, Chief Inspector Nelson Bautista, Chief Inspector Ricardo Zapata Jr., and Senior Inspector Ford Tuazon. (Randy K. Ortega)
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