Twelve of the 18 police officials whose courtesy resignations were accepted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remain in their posts, while six are on floating status while the Philippine National Police (PNP) is waiting for a copy of the order, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said late Saturday.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in his second State of Nation Address (SONA), announced that he had accepted the courtesy resignation of third-level police officers for their alleged involvement with illegal drug activities.

“We are still waiting for the official copy of the document which indicates that the President accepted the courtesy resignation of 18 senior officers,” Fajardo said over dzBB.

“Before the 18 names were published, there were six that were already on floating status and 12 of them are currently still at their current positions as we speak,” she added.

Fajardo said the PNP is ''just being careful.''

“We just want to have the official copy before we act on the 12 senior officers that are still in their posts and assignments. They are not yet relieved pending the official receipt of the document which will be signed by our President,” she said.

Fajardo said that some police officials whose courtesy resignations were accepted were involved in the alleged cover-up of a buy-bust operation in October 2022 where 990 kilos of shabu were seized.

“There are different reasons why they were relieved and eventually placed in the PHAO (Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit) and some of the 18 senior officers were among those who were charged concerning the 990 kilograms of shabu which was seized,” she said.

She said they respect Marcos’ decision to publicize the names of the 18 police officials even if no cases were filed against them yet.

“I think everyone was shocked when the names were revealed even if PNP Chief Benjamin Acorda, Jr. said that as much as possible he doesn’t want the names to be made public until they have been charged. However, we cannot question the wisdom of the President as to why he had publicized the names and we respect his decision,” she said.

Fajardo said the senior officers whose courtesy resignation could appeal.

“They have the right to exhaust all administrative and even legal remedies available to them because that is to expected,” she said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS