Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. has urged the public to trust the PNP’s built-in mechanisms in disciplining its erring personnel.
Acorda made the appeal following the recent involvement of certain police officers in criminal activities that have put the institution’s integrity in a bad light.
“The PNP, as an organization founded on professionalism, is more than equipped to undertake administrative investigation and if the circumstances warrant, render punitive actions against its personnel involved in criminal activities,” Acorda said.
These mechanisms are designed to ferret out the truth first and foremost, and according to Acorda, the same process would also give the opportunity for PNP officers under probe a venue to defend themselves against charges.
Meanwhile, the PNP challenged barangay officials to undergo drug testing as the national police reinforced its intelligence monitoring against village officials linked to illegal drugs.
PNP public information office chief Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said the beefing up of police monitoring efforts is part of the national police’s preparations to secure a safe and peaceful Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30.
“Included in our monitoring are a number of barangay officials that are involved in illegal drugs,” Maranan said.
“Once we have strong evidence, we will conduct joint police operations or what we call intelligence-driven operations to arrest those involved in illegal drugs,” he added.
Acorda assured the public that in all its internal investigations involving its personnel, the PNP will be transparent and impartial.
“Regardless of rank or position, all PNP personnel who are formally charged administratively will have to subject themselves voluntarily
to these processes,” the police chief said.
“Formal hearings and deliberations will be done in all cases before a final verdict is rendered,” he added.
Acorda said the PNP’s Internal Affairs Services (IAS) and the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) are part of the
built-in mechanisms within the organization designed to deal with erring personnel involved in criminal activities.
At the same time, Acorda said all disciplinary measures against erring cops should start from the level of all ground commanders.
He also mentioned the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) as another agency tasked by existing laws to address administrative cases
involving police officers.
“Let it be known that we have dependable processes that are all designed to probe violations of our internal rules by our own
personnel as well as police involvement in outright criminal activities,” Acorda said.
“The entire PNP leadership is determined to apply the full extent of the law to rid the organization of the handful of undesirables who
give the entire institution a bad name,” Acorda said.
Maranan said the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are working together in investigating barangay executives connected to
illegal drugs.
He also dared aspirants of the upcoming BSKE to heed PNP’s call, he said that everyone who will take a drug test should be commended.
“Their conduct of drug tests will prove that they are not using illegal drugs and that is a good example for our countrymen,” he said.