Over 700 Metro cops dismissed in PNP purge

Meanwhile, 190 police officers were demoted while 1,378 were suspended. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Wednesday said 711 erring Metro Manila cops have been dismissed from the service as part of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) internal cleansing program.

Based on data obtained by the Philippine News Agency, NCRPO director, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said that since July 2016, 2016 up to the first semester of this year, some 2,279 personnel — including the 711 NCR cops — have been disciplined for various offenses and illegal acts.

Meanwhile, 190 police officers were demoted while 1,378 were suspended.

Of those dismissed, 24 were charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; 30 were axed for human rights violation; 39 were indicted for robbery/extortion; five were accused with physical injury complaints, 236 have other grave cases and 377 went AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave).

The Metro Manila top cop urged the public to help the PNP to come out and provide information against rogue police personnel who should not be in the service as part of the directives of PNP’s internal cleansing program.

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

The NCRPO chief encouraged the victims and the complainants to come out and provide information against erring cops as he assured the PNP is on their side to weed out these cops and put them in jail.

He instructed all police directors, commanders, and chiefs of units and offices to properly and constantly supervise their personnel to maintain discipline and order within the ranks and ensure their compliance with all lawful orders, policies, rules, and regulations.

The five districts covered by the NCRPO are the Manila Police District, Quezon City Police District, Northern Police District, Southern Police District, and Eastern Police District.

Earlier, Albayalde reminded all police personnel that he would never tolerate illegal acts or wrongdoings committed by anyone within their ranks.

“When a recruit takes his oath as a professional police officer, he automatically loses or waives some of his rights in favor of organizational discipline, duties and responsibilities. So, being scolded, reprimanded, bawled out, or dressed down for misdemeanor, misconduct or commission of crime is just part and parcel of his life being in the uniformed service,” Albayalde said in a statement.

He also reiterated that the PNP is serious in its aim to enforce culture change and character transformation among police officers.

“We continue to ask for the media’s help because this way, we can emphasize that we are true and serious in our drive in wiping out scalawags within our ranks,” Albayalde said in Filipino.

“This is a stern warning to all PNP personnel. We will be adding more teeth to our campaign against those rogues and scalawags among our ranks. We will not hesitate to relieve any official from their posts should any incident like this extortion and robbery case would happen again,” he added.