Ex-PNP chief Azurin named ICI Special Adviser and Investigator

Retired Philippine National Police chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has been appointed as the new Special Adviser and Investigator of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

He succeeds Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who resigned after Palace pronouncements undermined his role and mandate.

Magalong, who was initially appointed as both adviser and investigator, resigned when the Palace clarified that he was only a special adviser and had no investigative capacity.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed confidence that Azurin's experience will enhance the ICI's mandate to uphold accountability and transparency in the use of public funds.

Azurin, a member of the Philippine Military Academy "Makatao" Class of 1989, was the 28th PNP chief, appointed by President Marcos Jr. on August 1, 2022, and retired from the police force on April 24, 2023.

During Azurin's leadership at the PNP, he pushed for internal cleansing and anti-drug operations, though his term also saw leadership tensions within the police force.