Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar, on Monday ordered the immediate dismissal of a civilian personnel who turned out to be a finance and logistics liaison officer of the Abu Sayyaf Group.
Eleazar tasked the Internal Affairs Service to speed up the summary dismissal of Masckur Adoh Patarasa, said to be a brother in a law of a slain Abu Sayyaf leader assigned with the Banguingui Municipal Police Station in Sulu.
Patarasa was arrested in an operation on July 30 for seven cases of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
He was also included in the martial law arrest order at the height of the Marawi siege in 2017.
“I have instructed the IAS to expedite the summary dismissal proceedings so that Patarasa can be immediately removed as NUP while facing cases against him in court,” Eleazar said in a statement.
Eleazar said further investigation is also being conducted to determine if there are other PNP personnel involved with the Abu Sayyaf.
It is not a farfetched possibility that he has others with him so this is where follow-up investigation comes in. At the same time, we will also find out what cases they are involved,” Eleazar said.
Patarasa has been a member of the Abu Sayaff Group since 2001.
“We will also find out how
Patarasa got into the PNP despite all the arrest warrants and cases he is facing in connection to his links with Abu Sayyaf,” Eleazar said.
Eleazar said Patarasa’s case showed that it was important to continue with cleansing police ranks from the start or during the recruitment process.