MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte admitted that he is still carefully weighing his options in choosing a new Philippine National Police (PNP) chief that will replace controversial Oscar Albayalde.
Among the candidates for the PNP chief post were PNP officer-in-charge Archie Gamboa, deputy chief for operations Camilo Cascolan and directorial staff head Guillermo Eleazar.
“They are all good. They’re soldiers. They came from the Philippine Military Academy,” Duterte said in a press conference at the Malacañang Palace.
“I have no doubt about their integrity but I would rather take my time appointing,” he added.
Gamboa and Cascolan are mistahs of Albayalde in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Sinagtala Class of 1986, while Eleazar is a member of the PMA Hinirang Class of 1987.
Albayalde has tendered his resignation as PNP chief ahead of him reaching his mandatory retirement age on November 8 following his involvement in the “ninja cops” mess.
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Bernard Banac said that they hope President Duterte will be able to choose a new PNP chief by early next year in time for the procurement deals to be done by the PNP./PN
