Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said Monday that 24 third-level police officers have yet to file their resignations.

“Only 24 of them are left. There’s still time. Hopefully, all of them submit. Imagine 24, out of 950? That’s very, very few,” Abalos said at a press briefing.

Third-level officers are colonels and generals.

In a separate press briefing, PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. said 929 high-ranking officials have given their courtesy resignations.

"I am pleased to announce that the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) has received the courtesy resignation letters of 929 police colonels and star-rank PNP officers. This number represents 97.48 percent of all 953 third-level police officials expected to heed the call,” Azurin said.

Abalos previously appealed to colonels and generals of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to submit courtesy resignations as part of the government’s effort to weed out officers who are involved in the illegal drug trade.

A five-man committee will be looking into the records of the officers and will recommend to the President if he should accept their resignation.

Only Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has been named as part of the committee.

Abalos later clarified that if any officer’s name is accepted, they will go through additional screening done by the National Police Commission (Napolcom). Jaspearl Tan/DMS