Zero tolerance for rogue cops: PNP

Banac noted that once found guilty, these police officers will be dismissed from the service and will be put behind bars. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday reiterated its implementation of a relentless internal cleansing program to weed out police officers engaging in unscrupulous activities.

“The CPNP (Chief PNP), Gen. Oscar Albayalde has immediately directed National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Regional Director, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, to speed up both the criminal and administrative proceedings as part of our massive campaign on internal cleansing to regain the full trust and confidence of our people,” PNP spokesperson, Col. Bernard Banac said in a message sent to reporters.

This came after two police officers were arrested for extortion in separate operations in the cities of Pasig and Pasay.

Banac noted that once found guilty, these police officers will be dismissed from the service and will be put behind bars.

“(Such) kind of personnel have no place in the PNP. We never tolerate anyone of our colleagues for committing illegal acts or crimes,” he added.

At around 4 a.m. Wednesday, members of the Counter Intelligence Task Force (CITF) arrested Cpl. Anwar Encarnacion Nasser, a member of the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) in an entrapment operation at the Pasay City Police Station 1.

Nasser’s cohorts, identified as SDET officer-in-charge Lt. Ronaldo Frades, Sgt. Rigor Octaviano and Patrolman Anthony Fernandez escaped during the operation by passing through a backdoor, taking with them the marked money amounting to PHP100,000.

The operation stemmed from the complaint of Joan dela Torre who claimed that Nasser and his cohorts demanded PHP100,000 in exchange for the release of his live-in partner identified as George Revilla.

Revilla was arrested by SDET personnel for alleged possession of illegal drugs in Makati City on Tuesday morning.

However, authorities found out that there was neither an entry of Revilla’s arrest in the police blotter nor a documentation regarding their alleged operation.

The suspect is now under the custody of CITF for proper disposition and possible filing of kidnap-for- ransom case.

In Pasig City, operatives of the Regional Special Operations Unit (RSOU)-NCRPO arrested PO2 Marlo Siblao Quibete, a member of the District Drug Enforcement Unit (DDEU) of Eastern Police District (EPD) for robbery extortion.

The arrest of the suspect stemmed from the complaint of Eva Cabansag who personally appeared at the RSOU.

Cabansag said Quibete demanded a sum of money in exchange for dropping the drug case against her live-in-partner.

Following these incidents, Eleazar ordered the immediate relief of EPD director, Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba and Pasay police chief, Col. Noel Flores.

Also relieved from their posts were 15 members of the EPD-DDEU and 27 members of the SDEU of Pasay City Police Station, including their heads.

The relieved police officers will be assigned at the Police Holding Administrative Office in Camp Crame.

Eleazar said Brig. Gen. Christopher Tambungan will replace Balba as EPD Director while Col. Bernard Yang will replace Flores as Pasay police chief.

“The PNP with our Chief, Gen. Albayalde leading the way, is determined to rid our ranks of undeserving policemen,” he told Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.

The NCRPO, meanwhile, encouraged the victims and the complainants to come out and provide information against these erring cops.