Eighty-three police officers were dismissed in the region from January 2016 to July 2018 as part of the directive of the police regional director, Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, to cleanse the ranks of rogue cops.
Speaking in yesterday’s AFP-PNP press briefing held in the Royal Mandaya hotel, Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, the spokesperson of PRO XI, said that for the same period, they recorded 649 administrative cases filed against police officers.
Of the total, 211, were suspended, 19 were demoted, five ordered restricted to barracks, 20 were reprimanded, and one for forfeiture of salary and remuneration.
Meanwhile, 188 of them were exonerated and 104 cases dismissed for lack of probable cause, and 18 dropped from rolls.
Those dropped from rolls are police officers who have been absent without official leave and those with drug cases who did not return to service.
“Here in the region, we already knew the policies and guidelines of the PNP chief and the President in terms of internal cleansing,” she said.
She said police officers with drug cases are given due process through a summary hearing procedure where they are given a chance to defend themselves.
“We in the PNP are calling on the community who have the knowledge on abusive policemen… they can report to the Regional Internal Affairs Office and to the regional director,” she added.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday scolded more than 100 erring policemen, including 87 from the National Capital Region Police Office at the Malacañang Palace grounds.
Duterte said the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership has been trying to improve its image only to be tainted by the policemen allegedly involved in robbery, extortion, illegal drugs, rape, and grave misconduct.
The President warned that he will not hesitate to kill the policemen particularly those involved in illegal drugs and corruption
Aside from 87 policemen from NCRPO, seven from Region 3 (Central Luzon) and eight from Region 4A (Calabarzon) have been accused of various offenses, making it the second time the President berated a batch of rogue PNP members in Malacañang.
“We don’t have erring cops that have been scolded by President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday,” Driz said.
