MANILA - The five-man advisory group reviewing the courtesy resignation of ranking police officers as part of the force's cleansing process will carefully assess any evidence found or presented against them, national police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. said Wednesday.

Azurin said that during his initial meeting on Monday with other members of the body, namely Undersecretary Isagani Nerez of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Police and Military Affairs, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and retired Court of Appeals Justice Melchor Sadang, the kind of evidence that they will sort was among the issues discussed.

The top cop said they want the credibility of evidence established before any finding or recommendation is presented to the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

• Panel starts review of resigned police officials' records

“These are career officers. They worked hard for it so dapat siguraduhin natin na kung ano man yung magiging recommendation ng advisory group sa Napolcom or review prior sa ire-recommend sa Presidente, dapat ay katanggap-tanggap 'yan," Azurin said in an ambush interview.

"More than 20 years na career ng mga senior officers na ito, so dapat katanggap-tanggap yung magiging resulta,” he added.

The advisory group was formed to sort the courtesy resignation of third level officers — or those with the ranks of colonel up to general — as part of efforts to cleanse the organization from drug trade infiltration.

• PNP chief to lead 5-man committee reviewing senior cops' courtesy resignations

“Hopefully, by Monday or by early next week, we will already start working, kompleto na kami. So I was able to talk to former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro kagabi. So 'yun, nire-review yung guidelines na naumpisahan namin ng Monday. So once na-finalize 'yan, we start working,” Azurin said.

He said the group has yet to decide whether a face-to-face interview with the police officers is necessary, or to just leave the interview to the Napolcom.

Azurin said PCol. Red Maranan, chief of the PNP Public Information Office, has been designated as the spokesperson of the advisory group.

PARAMETERS 'FINALIZED'

In a public briefing, Maranan said the parameters of their screening process have already been "finalized."

The officers' documents are already being prepared for the advisory council, with the official noting that they would get more from other government agencies to assist the members.

"Ang gagawin po ng ating mga members, ng ating panel o iyong ating advisory group ay titingnan pong maigi, susuriin isa-isa iyong mga dokumento na hawak na po ng ating PNP," Maranan said.

"Kung kinakailangan ay kukuha pa ng ibang mga dokumento sa ibang mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan upang makita talaga iyong hinahanap noong five-man advisory group, iyong link ng mga third level officer sa illegal drugs activity. So, iyong documentary review and assessment ang ating pagbabasehan," he added.

On Monday, Azurin said the committee also discussed if they will review the Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SALN) of police officers, but did not expound if they were able to arrive at a consensus.

“Lahat napag-uusapan. But ang ano nga diyan is yung we are defining ano yung scope and limitation ng advisory group," the police chief said.

"Kailangan klaro para hindi tayo mag-overstep at ma-violate natin yung mga karapatan ng ating mga ibang senior officers na kasama doon sa nag-file ng courtesy resignations," he added.

-- With a report from Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

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