Malacañang lauds PNP effort to cleanse ranks

The campaign of the President and the PNP to make our police force truly professional continues and the 2,181 sacked cops in two years show that there are no sacred cows when it comes to upholding discipline among our police,” Roque said. (TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL FILE PHOTO)

MANILA — Malacañang on Monday welcomed the continuous effort of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to cleanse its ranks following records that showed over 2,000 cops were sacked during the first two years under the Duterte administration.

Citing data from the PNP, Roque said a total of 2,181 police officers were dismissed from service from July 2016 to July 2018.

Of this number, 1,828 personnel had serious infractions and 353 personnel were involved in the illegal drug trade.

Roque said the number is also part of the 6,401 police officers, whose administrative cases have already been resolved for various offenses including involvement in criminal activities, grave misconduct, serious neglect of duty, serious irregularity, malversation, dishonesty and graft and corruption.

“The PNP continues to stand firm in cleansing its rank,” Roque said in a press briefing in Malita, Davao Occidental.

“Tuluy-tuloy po ang kampanya ng Presidente at ng PNP para gawing tunay na propesyonal ang hanay ng PNP at ang 2,181 na na-dismiss pong mga pulis sa dalawang taon ay patunay na wala pong sinasanto tayo pagdating sa pagpo-promote ng disiplina sa ating kapulisan (The campaign of the President and the PNP to make our police force truly professional continues and the 2,181 sacked cops in two years show that there are no sacred cows when it comes to upholding discipline among our police),” he added.

Duterte has repeatedly vowed to protect police personnel who performed their duty in accordance with the law.

Last May, Duterte also expressed willingness to return the training of police recruits to the PNP.

“I think that I might return the training itself and the militaristic activity training of the police back to the PNP itself,” Duterte said in an earlier speech.

“It has not done good since we transferred it to [the] Public Safety with due respect to General de Leon,” he added, referring to the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC).

Duterte said he believed PPSC president and retired Gen. Ricardo de Leon is very “competent” but noted that “some lousy men (get) into the service under questionable circumstances.

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For him, it seemed like there was a lack of effort to conduct background check among police recruits since many ended up being criminals.

“Nagkulang tayo doon sa (We lacked) background check and even the matter of the protocol of joining the police. Marami diyan mga salbahe (There are many policemen) who are really criminals,” Duterte said. “Some of them sadly, are really into drugs.”

He, meanwhile, warned policemen who are involved in the drug trade that their days are numbered.

“May I just remind everybody, including, most of all the policemen, I’m just warning them that if you are into it, you will be the first to go,” Duterte said.