PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he would be firing 49 policemen and three police superintendents—a move seen by observers as the first gear to cleaning up the ranks of the police.
“I will fire about 49 policemen and three superintendents,” Duterte said in a speech in Davao City, without specifying the reason for firing them, adding only he did his best to protect those who were performing their jobs.
“I’m serious. You could sense my… fondness to protect the uniformed personnel…For as long as they do their duty and in the performance of duty, they would never have any problem,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English.
Duterte was apparently referring to the trimmed down number of officers that he would be firing — around 90, as of last Sunday, whom he branded as “gangsters” amid their alleged connivance with crime syndicates in the country.
During his speech at the celebration of Senator Manny Pacquiao’s birthday party, the President maintained he would not allow anyone, including policemen, to use their job in committing crimes, such as being involved in robbery and illicit drugs trade.
“You have been used to perpetrate crimes. You will be removed because of that. You will lose your job. That’s your fault,” he said, addressing the police.
