The 226,000-strong men and women of the Philippine National Police have rallied behind Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. of La Trinidad, Benguet, the first appointed chief PNP under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
A member of the Philippine Military Class of 1989, Azurin once served as director of the Benguet Police Provincial Office and held star-rank positions in Camp Crame as director of the Directorate for Comptrollership (DC) as well as the Directorate for Information and Communication Technology Management (DICTM).
He was the commander of the PNP Area Police Command-Northern Luzon prior to his appointment as chief PNP. Azurin will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on April 24, 2023.
The Office of the Press Secretary reported Azurin also served as director of the Maritime Group and later as regional director of Police Regional Office 1.
As middle-grade police officer, he served as the chief of Task Force Limbas of the Highway Patrol Group and was also the Deputy Operations Officer of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force.
As a junior officer, Azurin was assigned to various field units and offices that include the following: 1st Special Action Company in Parang, Maguindanao; 231st Philippine Constabulary Company in Quezon province; Aviation Security Group; Criminal Investigation and Detection Group; Office of Internal Security; Department of the Interior and Local Government; Health Service; Police Community Affairs and Development Group; as well as the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management. Azurin was born in Paniqui, Tarlac and was raised in La Trinidad. He finished his secondary education at Saint Louis University Boy’s High in 1984. – Harley F. Palangchao
