By Liezelle Soriano
AMIDST reports of the deportation of former Philippine National Police chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. by Canadian authorities earlier this month, there was some clarification provided on the matter during the House 2024 budget deliberations by the Department of Foreign Affairs representative.
House Minority Leader Rep. Marcelino Libanan inquired with sponsor Nueva Ecija Rep. Joseph Violago about the accuracy of the reports suggesting that Azurin had encountered issues with Canadian airport immigration officials.
Violago confirmed that Azurin did indeed face complications but added that the Canadian government expressed regret for the “misunderstanding and miscommunication.”
“This incident occurred a few days ago. General Azurin voluntarily went to Canada and abruptly returned to the country,” Rep. Violago stated during the budget debates. “There seemed to be a misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the events, and the Canadian government expressed their regrets regarding the miscommunication.”
Violago further explained that the DFA couldn’t extend any assistance to the retired police general since he was on a personal trip and voluntarily returned home. He also mentioned that the Canadian government had not yet submitted the complete and official report on the incident but pledged to share it with House Speaker Martin Romualdez, citing confidentiality concerns.
Azurin accuses Sermonia
Azurin, for his part, refuted the reports of his deportation and instead focused on accusing his former colleague, PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Police Lieutenant General Rodel Sermonia, of spreading disinformation.
Sermonia was unavailable for comment at the time of this report.
“Sermonia had been spreading lies about my alleged ‘deportation.’ Maybe he knows something that everyone in our country does not know. Maybe, it was he who tipped Canadian Immigration by concocting half-truths and many lies and had been hoping that I would be deported. He had been sending messages about my deportation,” Azurin alleged.
“I’m sorry, but that’s not what happened,” the former top cop added, indicating that he would issue a statement and face the media in due course to clarify what transpired. He called on the current PNP chief, Benjamin Acorda, to investigate Sermonia’s purported involvement in the smear campaign.
Azurin had previously served as President Bongbong Marcos’ inaugural PNP chief but retired after nine months, having reached the mandatory retirement age in April of the current year.
(Liezelle Soriano/ai/mnm)