The Internal Affairs Service believed that one of its high-ranking personnel was the author of the demolition job against the IAS leadership, after a new application for the top post of the agency surfaced recently despite repeated explanation of the agency that the top post is not vacant.
In a press release, the IAS said Attorney Maria Lynnberg S. Constantinopla submitted an application for the position of Inspector General to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Azurin Jr. on November 11.
This comes months later after she also submitted an application to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Presidential Management Staff Secretary Maria Zenaida Angping asked the PNP and the IAS to evaluate the merits of the application and “to take appropriate action on her intent to apply in the PNP as Inspector General in the PNP Internal Affairs Service”.
IAS Inspector General, Atty Alfegar M. Triambulo, in a statement, clarified that Interior Secretary Benjamin 'Benhur' Abalos said that the position of the Inspector General of the IAS “is not vacant”.
“The position of Inspector General [of the IAS] the CPNP and all officers of the PNP appointed by the President are neither casual, coterminous, confidential, nor contractual,” Triambulo said.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte appointed him as IAS Inspector General in 2016.
“As to Atty Constantinopla’s application, it must be emphasized, as our office had repeatedly clarified in a number of for a since June 2022, of which Atty. Constantinopla must have been unmindful, that the post is not vacant. Yours truly has been serving in the said post since 2016,” Triambulo said.
Her insistence to take the top post fits her role as the source of the demolition job inside IAS against Triambulo.
“Kakaumpisa pa lang, nagpapa media na, she was overheard as saying in 2016, when Triambulo was appointed to the post.
Though terminated from service, Atty Constantinopla occasionally managed to enter the premises of IAS and reportedly harassed some personnel she suspected to be loyal to IG Triambulo.
Constantinopla has her own derogatory records inside the IAS itself.
On October 28, she was slapped with Administrative Case no. NIAS-NMP-20-052 “for inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of official duties, refusal to perform official duty, gross insubordination and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service”.
This case “attained finality on September 6 after the lapse of reglementary period to file motion for reconsideration or appeal to the office”
Another charge docketed as NIAS-NMP 22-181 had Constantinopla levelled with six counts of grave misconduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service.
Constantinopla has yet to issue statement regarding the said issue.
