(PNA file photo by Joey O. Razon)
Members of the police’s intelligence units were sacked by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde, after a ‘leakage’ of the supposed profiling of teachers tied with communists.
“I will check on that and as far as I’m concerned, wala akong pinirmahan na ganyan (I did not sign [any order]),” the top cop told the media in a press briefing on Monday, January 7, after reporters asked him if there was an official instruction.
Albayalde then said that he “immediately ordered for all intelligence officers to be relieved,” who are chiefs of the Quezon City Police District Station 6, Manila Police District Station 3, and Zambales; totalling of three.
The PNP chief, who said that he was a former intel officer, slammed the relieved cops for ‘not knowing how to do their job.’
“You have to do your job discreetly,” he said, adding that the leakage caused “unnecessary panic.”
He also said that there is a pending investigation on the case, saying, “Titingnan natin anong basis nung nag-p-profile sa kanila (We will look at the basis of their supposed profilers).”
On the other hand, Albayalde sympathized with the members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), saying that they “understand the feeling” that being profiled by a police could make. He added that as cops, they are also being profiled as members of the PNP.
He, however, stressed that it is just “part of our intelligence monitoring” and that the teachers should not be scared if they are not guilty of anything.
“Anong ikakatakot mo naman kung wala kang ginagawang masama, ‘di ba? (What will you be scared of if you are not doing anything bad, right?), Albayalde said.
ACT, in a statement, lambasted the supposed order of profiling as a “grossly illegal and unconstitutional attack” on their right to free expression and self-organization.
In an ANC interview, Malacañang through Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the organization may only just be “paranoid” because ACT is identified to be a leftist organization.