Dela Rosa says dismissal of two generals went through due process

October 9, 2017

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said Monday the case of two generals dismissed by President Rodrigo Duterte for failure to perform their duties which resulted to proliferation of illegal drugs had undergone due process for almost one year.

"It underwent due process that is why it took a year. They were dismissed before but the decision that removed them from service only came out now because it went through a long process", Dela Rosa said told DZMM.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella announced on Monday that former National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao and  Quezon City Police District (QCPD) head Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio were removed from the service after Office of the Executive Secretary signed their dismissal papers.

Dela Rosa said it took Duterte six months to decide if he will sign the dismissal of the two general upon the recommendation of National Police Commission (Napolcom).

"In administrative case, it is not guilt beyond reasonable doubt but evidence is what is needed in the proceeding. When Napolcom saw that, they were all convinced to dismiss the two generals", he said.

"That is the recommendation to the president and president thought about it for a long time before he signed it. It took maybe six months before he sign because Malacanang studied it first", he added.

Dela Rosa said the dismissal of Tinio and Pagdilao has nothing to do with the drop in the trust rating of Duterte based on the recent Social Weather Station  survey.

"Actually I knew about that last week. It was signed for a long time but I am not at liberty to announce the dismissal of those generals because they are presidential appointees. That is the decision of Malacanang. Malacanang is the one who should announce that", he said.

The SWS survey conducted from September 23 to 27, 2017 said 67 percent of Filipinos are satisfied with the performance of the president. This was a decline of 11 percentage points from  his 78 percent on June 2017.

Dela Rosa said the two generals will not get benefits. "It will hard because it is dismissal from the service. They will not receive benefits", he said. Alanna Ambi/DMS