MANILA — Seven senior officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have yet to offer courtesy resignations ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, in a move meant to cleanse the police ranks of alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Those who have yet to file courtesy resignations included 3 generals and 4 colonels, PNP Spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in a message to ABS-CBN News around 1:50 p.m.

On Monday, PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. told reporters that 941 third level PNP officers, or those who have ranks of colonel up to general, have heeded the call of Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos to submit their courtesy resignation.

A 5-man committee will evaluate all PNP colonels and generals after a probe found that a "handful" were involved in the narcotics trade. They could continue working while their records were assessed. Those found guilty would have their resignations accepted, Abalos earlier said.

Anyone who did not tender their resignation would be "questionable", he added.

• Senior police officials urged to resign to 'cleanse' force

Police have been waging an anti-narcotics campaign launched by former president Rodrigo Duterte and continued by his successor Ferdinand Marcos.

Abalos described the courtesy resignations as radical and a "shortcut" after previous investigations into allegedly corrupt officers took a long time and produced few results.

It is not the first time such drastic measures have been used to clean up the Philippine police force.

Former president Fidel Ramos cracked down on police in the early 1990s, ordering all officers over 56 years of age or with more than 30 years of service to resign. The chief of the national police and 9 other senior officers resigned as a result.

— With a report from Agence France-Presse

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