The National Capital Region Police Office has ordered the dismissal from the service of all Metro Manila police personnel involved in illegal activities and those who went absent without official leave at the time President Rodrigo Duterte ordered them to be deployed in Mindanao.
Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said the order is part of the Internal Cleansing Program of the NCRPO in its aim to instill discipline, build ethics, and evaluate the commitment level of each police officer to their sworn duties.
Albayalde ordered the Discipline Law and Order Section, Regional Investigation Detective Management Division and the Regional Legal Service to hasten the cases and complaints against erring policemen for appropriate charges as well as those on AWOL status.
He gave his order during a Command Conference at the NCRPO after the presentation from the five Police Districts on the Alleged Illegal Activities perpetrated by NCRPO personnel within their respective area of responsibility.
Albayalde also emphasized that all police officers with AWOL status should be accounted, have a thorough study of their cases.
“After due process has been made, file appropriate charges against these police officers, then make sure to recover their issued firearms, badges, identification cards and police uniforms to avoid misuse,” he added.
Albayalde also ordered the dismissal of the rookie cops who went on AWOL during the Orientation Program that the NCRPO currently conducts.
The Orientation Program is an additional 45 days training as part of the Internal Cleansing.
“Since these rookie cops are still on a temporary status, it is better to remove them from the list before they put the organization on a bad light. There are many applicants who wanted to become police officers more qualified and deserving,” Albayalde said.
The NCRPO chief also directed all District Directors, Chiefs of Police and StationCommanders to take full responsibility of their subordinates or face the consequences.
“Impose necessary disciplinary actions or file administrative sanctions against police officers who violate the law. Coordinate with the Internal Affairs Section as well as intensify Counter Intelligence in your Area of Responsibility to pave way in verifying complaints against our personnel,” Albayalde said.
The Internal Cleansing is an integral part of a progressive process; we must see to it that we discipline our subordinate and even ourselves. While we lead our men, we also make sure that their actions are guarded and in consonance with our organizational values,” he added.
Last February, several police officers, who were among the erring cops reassigned to Mindanao due to their alleged involvement in illegal activity and other abuses, went AWOL.
More than 300 police personnel were reassigned to the Southern Command as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte. Some of these cops went on AWOL.
The rogue cops are composed of police commissioned officers including one superintendent, four chief inspectors, nine senior inspectors, three inspector; and 293 non police commissioned officers. These cops came from the regional headquarters and five police districts in Metro Manila. Forty-nine from Northern Police District, 10 from Eastern Police District, 72 from Manila Police District, 51 from Southern Police District, 35 from Quezon City Police District, and 94 from NCRPO-Regional Headquarters. Joel E. Zurbano
They have listed as among those who have existing administrative and criminal cases that ranges from Robbery, Extortion, Drug Protection, Illegal Drug User, Carnapping, Grave Threat, to Recidivism of tardiness, texting while on duty and performing duties not in proper uniform.
Albayalde encouraged the public to report their complaints on observed abusive cops. “Rest assured that any report will be verified and thoroughly investigated. Reported cops will be accorded due process and proper adjudication.”