MANILA, April 17 (PNA) — President Banigno Aquino III on Friday confirmed that Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge General Leonardo Espina has submitted his resignation.
”In a briefing after he led the turn-over ceremony of the newly-constructed three-story building of the Tarlac National High School in Tarclac City, the President explained that Espina resigned from his post because the PNP will have two-acting general positions within the year and “transition between two does not do the service any good.”
”So on that basis, he did submit his resignation and ‘yung acceptance is pending on selecting his replacement (So on that basis, he did submit his resignation and the acceptance is pending while selecting of his replacement (is ongoing),” he said.
Espina was recently promoted to deputy chief for administration, PNP’s top 2 position, from being the deputy chief of operation, the top 3.
He was appointed as PNP OIC in December 2014 after the Office of the Ombudsman placed PNP chief Gen. Alan and several others under preventive suspension due to alleged anomalous courier service contract that the national police entered into in 2011. Purisima resigned from his post in February 2015.
Aquino said they continue to interview candidates for the PNP chief position.
”I will beg everybody’s patience on this matter. It was not projected that we will be changing the Chief PNP at this point, in 2015. We were thinking that it would be at the end of 2015 where we would have to change the Chief PNP,” he said.
Asked on the vacancies for the Commissioner position both in the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Civic Service Commission (CSC), Aquino said interviews are on-going for Comelec chairmanship while that of the CSC is “more or less done” but he declined to elaborate.
On the Comelec Commissioner post, Aquino said he has offered the position to a candidate but the latter is hesitant to accept it.
”Kailangan natin, siyempre, presidential elections next year, ‘yung talagang ganado at masigasig. (What we need is someone who is willing and enthusiastic because we will have presidential elections next year),” he said.
Aquino said he is set to interview another candidate hopefully next week.
This candidate, he added, “has indicated very strong interest and who has the credentials and the track record to do a good job.”(PNA)