‘Ninja cops’ must quit service, confess crimes: DILG chief

“We need to look into our hiring process in order to find out if there are lapses or if there are some procedures that we may have missed out or that need to be improved,” DILG OIC- Secretary Eduardo Año said. (PNA file photo)

MANILA — Rogue cops should consider leaving the service immediately, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) OIC- Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday.

Año’s remarks came after President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement increasing to PHP5 million the bounty for the neutralization of the so called ‘ninja cops’.

“Habang may panahon pa, umalis na kayo sa serbisyo at talikuran ninyo na ang maling gawain ninyo (While there is still enough time, quit from the service and veer away from your wrongdoings). You cannot escape the long arm of the law,” Año said in a statement Tuesday.

The DILG chief also said rogue policemen who opt to confess their involvement will undergo due process once they show up or surrender to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“The police organization strictly adheres to the rule of law and the respect for human rights and dignity.

We therefore ensure that each erring policeman will be given a day in court,” he said.

“We need to look into our hiring process in order to find out if there are lapses or if there are some procedures that we may have missed out or that need to be improved,” he said.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Monday said he welcomes the President’s announcement, adding that the reward would encourage informants to come forward against rogue policemen.

He, however, reiterated that only civilian informants and not law enforcement officials are entitled to the reward, adding that the directive does not authorize civilians to become bounty hunters to shoot and kill police scalawags.