NCRPO deploys ‘Red Team’ to monitor rogue cops

FILE: Advocating Health Consciousness among the PNP personnel, PCSUPT DEBOLD M SINAS, RD, PRO7 invited a speaker from the DOH to talk on the ill-effects of smoking to the human body. PRO7 is proudly a Smoking Free Camp. (Photo: @pro7official/Twitter)

MANILA — To intensify strict discipline, reform, and internal cleansing among erring police personnel in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Friday deployed a police surveillance group dubbed as the “Red Team”.

NCRPO acting chief, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, said the team is made up of policemen from Central Visayas that was deployed around Metro Manila to monitor policemen involved in illegal activities.

“They are many and they came from Central Visayas, Red Team reports directly to me,” Sinas told reporters in a press briefing.

The NCRPO chief said that the group was effective in Central Visayas, particularly in Cebu.

“Yes, effective yan doon maski magtanong kayo doon pati may-ari doon kung may nakikita silang pulis na naglalaro sabi nila wala na doon (It was effective. Even if you ask business owners there, if they policemen who are playing, they say there is none),” he said.

Instead of using patrol cars, members of the Red Team just roam around in their motorcycles to track rogue cops.

“Umiikot yan naka motor sila, (buddy system) yan. Pagdating sa gabi, papasok na rin ng mga clubs to observe. Dapat hindi kilala to. Hindi kami maglagay ng patrol car sa ngayon (They are working in a buddy system. During nighttime, they enter clubs to observe. They should not be known. We will not put patrol cars for now),” he said.

For now, he said the target of the Red Team are the policemen playing golf during weekdays, as it was his first order upon assuming as Metro Manila top cop.

But he clarified that the team will not arrest someone caught doing illegal activities and will only get proof.