Manila: President Benigno Aquino admitted receiving a letter of resignation from Philippine National Police acting director general Leonardo Espina, adding he is now scouting for a new head of the 150,000 police force.

“He did submit his resignation and the acceptance is pending,” said Aquino, adding, “We will be conducting various interviews on various candidates [for his replacement].”

Espina is not one of the candidates for PNP head because he is retiring in 2015, Aquino explained.

Praising Espina, Aquino said, “Director Espina is a very honourable person and he loves the institution and he loves the service and he loves the country.”

Sources said that Espina was disgruntled because he was not informed about the anti-terror operation that was launched by Purisima, who was then suspended from his post — to get Malaysian bomb expert Zulkifli Bin Abdhir, alia Marwan, in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.

The incident killed 44 policemen, three civilians and 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which controls the territory where Abdhir was killed.

Espina’s resignation could signal the intensification of criticism for Aquino who allegedly allowed Purisima, a personal friend, to launch the anti-terror operation, without telling Espina, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, and Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang about it.

When the Philippine government and the MILF forged a pro-autonomy peace settlement in 2014, they agreed to coordinate in anti-terror operations in the southern Philippines.

The lack of coordination between the military and the MILF resulted in an encounter that went awry, which was also participated by three other terror groups based near MILF-controlled areas.

The incident has put in limbo the passage of a proposed law that would implement the provisions of the Philippine government-MILF pro-autonomy peace settlement. Purisima resigned during investigations of the incident.

Earlier, there were reports that Roxas, head of the department of interior and local government, might also resign in reaction to Purisima. Roxas denied it.

“Aquino and Roxas are also personal friends. Roxas never criticised Aquino for the incident in Mamsapano, Magundanao last January,” explained an insider at Malacanang, the presidential palace.