Interior Secretary Mar Roxas (center) receives the Board of Inquiry (BOI) report on the Mamasapano incident from Philippine National Police OIC Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina (right) and Director Benjamin Magalong, the BOI chairman, on Friday. The report was immediately made public. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Philippine National Police on Thursday said they have no official record yet of the reported resignation of General Leonardo Espina as the police force’s officer-in-charge.
“Wala pang ganyan sa official records ng PNP,” police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. told reporters early Thursday morning.
A report on Wednesday claimed Espina tendered his resignation to President Benigno Aquino III last March, four months before his scheduled retirement. Cerbo denied the report’s allegation.
“Kami ang unang makakaalam kung may pagbabago sa PNP,” Cerbo said, adding “Kung may changes diyan, isa ako sa unang makaaalam.”
Moreover, Cerbo said, “Normally, kapag may resignation, it will be through channels… maraming pagdadaanan.”
The PNP has no record yet of Espina’s resignation, supposedly submitted last March. Cerbo said, “Patuloy pa rin ang kanyang (Espina) pagtatrabaho, walang nabago.”
Espina was even promoted, and effective last Tuesday he assumed as The Deputy Chief for Administration (TDCA), the second highest post in the agency, even as he remains the police force’s officer-in-charge, Cerbo added.
“Na-promote pa siya, naging full-time TDCA pa siya… so wala tayong nakikitang basehan ang alegasyong ito,” he said. (MNS)