Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Behur Abalos Jr. on Tuesday revealed that retired Court of Appeals Justice Melchor Sadang is the fifth member of the five-man committee that will assess the courtesy resignations submitted by police generals and colonels and their possible involvement in illegal drugs.
“The fifth member of the advisory group his name is Justice Melchor Quirino Cabarroguis Sadang, the other five members of the advisory group. Justice Sadang became an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals in 2011 up to 2017. He also became the presiding judge of the RTC Cavite City in the year 2000 up to 2011 and he really went through the screening and we are grateful to Justice Melchor Quirino Cabarroguis Sadang on being accepted as the 5th member of this advisory group,” Abalos said.
The other members of the five-man committee are retired police general and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Philippine National Police chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., former defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro and retired police general Isagani Nerez.
Abalos said that he was able to talk with Magalong and he informed that the committee will convene Monday next week.
“It’s better for us because they are the ones who will create the guidelines, of all. What is important is that we can give what intelligence report what on-hand, to various government agencies, so they can talk about it,” Abalos said.
In the next three months, Abalos said the committee will conduct an investigation on the police officials and will submit the names of those whose resignations are accepted to the National Police Commission for another round of verification before submitting their recommendation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“We will see what is necessary, but what is important here is that the one who should be removed and the innocent should be removed. There is really no innocent person to be removed,” Abalos said.
The DILG chief is also expecting the body to conduct a fair and impartial assessment “because they are known to have credibility, integrity and a good track record in their respective fields.”
The advisory group will screen the courtesy resignations of senior PNP officials along with the National Police Commission.
Abalos reiterated that monitoring, investigation and case build-up against other police personnel will continue amid the intensified internal cleansing in the police organization.
To recall, the five-man committee was formed as an advisory group that will sort thru the courtesy resignation of third-level officers of the PNP, or those officers ranked colonel up to general.
The move aims to cleanse the ranks of officers in the police organization, from infiltration of the illegal drug syndicates.