CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio on Friday confirmed reports that Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno has “pulled out” a National Police Commission resolution that endorsed three police officers from which the governor can select the next provincial director.
Puno said he pulled out Resolution 2009-018 after the Napolcom decided not to recommend a Kapampangan for the post, Panlilio said of the explanation given by the secretary during their talk after the Gawad Galing Pook awarding in Malacañang on Thursday.
Panlilio said he urged Puno not to recommend Senior Supt. Gil Lebin Jr. who the Pampanga Mayors League suggested to Chief Supt. Leon Nilo de la Cruz, Central Luzon police director, through Resolution 52-2009 on Feb. 3.
The secretary could not be reached for confirmation on Panlilio’s report.
Lebin, an Ilonggo, is a classmate of Senior Supt. Keith Singian.
Singian, although serving in an officer-in-charge status, has managed to remain on the post for already two years and a month now. Singian has stayed on even as the governor had requested a replacement for him since July 2007. Panlilio demanded the relief of Singian following the Jan. 5 siege at the capitol and the latter’s denial of that incident.
Panlilio said the pullout of Resolution 2009-018 was a “repeat” of the first resolution that included the name of his preference, Senior Supt. Cesar Hawthorne Binag.
Like the first resolution, he said the recent resolution was not officially transmitted to him.
The first resolution was stricken out, with then Police Director General Avelino Razon citing the need to keep Binag for the police’s transformation program.
Two police sources of Punto Central Luzon claimed that De La Cruz “returned” the second resolution to Police Director General Jesus Verzosa on Tuesday.
Panlilio said De La Cruz denied to him that he received the letter.
“This is deplorable. The laws of the [Philippine National Police] on promotions and on the selection by the governors and mayors of their police chiefs are violated whimsically,” Panlilio said in an interview.
According to Resolution 2009-018, the three officers in the list—Senior Supts. George Gaddi, Sonny Cunanan and Danilo Bautista—have “satisfied all the requirements for designation to a key position in the PNP.”
“Now therefore, the Commission, pursuant to its constitutional mandate to administer and control the PNP, has resolved to endorse, as it hereby endorses the aforesaid officers to the provincial governor, for possible designation as provincial director, Pampanga Police Provincial Office,” the Napolcom resolution said.
Aside from Puno, it was signed by Verzosa, vice chair and executive officer Eduardo Escueta, Commissioner Luis Mario General and secretariat chief Adelmalyn Munieza.
Panlilio said he is “appalled” that the resolution can be scrapped in short notice even as the commission invoked laws and constitutional mandate in the selection and endorsement of the three officers.
The preference for a non-Kapampangan now, as an excuse, was unacceptable since Singian himself was a Kapampangan, he said.
“I see here a case where the rule of law is not upheld and respect for the PNP as an institution is not upheld,” he said.
He urged Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, the eldest son of President Macapagal-Arroyo, to “clear himself” from reports that he worked to have Singian stay on and caused the recent turnabout by the Napolcom.
Representative Arroyo has denied meddling in the affairs of the police, saying that the assignment of Singian and process for his finding his replacement are “local police matters.”
Puno said he pulled out Resolution 2009-018 after the Napolcom decided not to recommend a Kapampangan for the post, Panlilio said of the explanation given by the secretary during their talk after the Gawad Galing Pook awarding in Malacañang on Thursday.
Panlilio said he urged Puno not to recommend Senior Supt. Gil Lebin Jr. who the Pampanga Mayors League suggested to Chief Supt. Leon Nilo de la Cruz, Central Luzon police director, through Resolution 52-2009 on Feb. 3.
The secretary could not be reached for confirmation on Panlilio’s report.
Lebin, an Ilonggo, is a classmate of Senior Supt. Keith Singian.
Singian, although serving in an officer-in-charge status, has managed to remain on the post for already two years and a month now. Singian has stayed on even as the governor had requested a replacement for him since July 2007. Panlilio demanded the relief of Singian following the Jan. 5 siege at the capitol and the latter’s denial of that incident.
Panlilio said the pullout of Resolution 2009-018 was a “repeat” of the first resolution that included the name of his preference, Senior Supt. Cesar Hawthorne Binag.
Like the first resolution, he said the recent resolution was not officially transmitted to him.
The first resolution was stricken out, with then Police Director General Avelino Razon citing the need to keep Binag for the police’s transformation program.
Two police sources of Punto Central Luzon claimed that De La Cruz “returned” the second resolution to Police Director General Jesus Verzosa on Tuesday.
Panlilio said De La Cruz denied to him that he received the letter.
“This is deplorable. The laws of the [Philippine National Police] on promotions and on the selection by the governors and mayors of their police chiefs are violated whimsically,” Panlilio said in an interview.
According to Resolution 2009-018, the three officers in the list—Senior Supts. George Gaddi, Sonny Cunanan and Danilo Bautista—have “satisfied all the requirements for designation to a key position in the PNP.”
“Now therefore, the Commission, pursuant to its constitutional mandate to administer and control the PNP, has resolved to endorse, as it hereby endorses the aforesaid officers to the provincial governor, for possible designation as provincial director, Pampanga Police Provincial Office,” the Napolcom resolution said.
Aside from Puno, it was signed by Verzosa, vice chair and executive officer Eduardo Escueta, Commissioner Luis Mario General and secretariat chief Adelmalyn Munieza.
Panlilio said he is “appalled” that the resolution can be scrapped in short notice even as the commission invoked laws and constitutional mandate in the selection and endorsement of the three officers.
The preference for a non-Kapampangan now, as an excuse, was unacceptable since Singian himself was a Kapampangan, he said.
“I see here a case where the rule of law is not upheld and respect for the PNP as an institution is not upheld,” he said.
He urged Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, the eldest son of President Macapagal-Arroyo, to “clear himself” from reports that he worked to have Singian stay on and caused the recent turnabout by the Napolcom.
Representative Arroyo has denied meddling in the affairs of the police, saying that the assignment of Singian and process for his finding his replacement are “local police matters.”
