More than 4,000 police officers were dismissed from the service as part of the intensified internal cleansing program of the Philippine National Police, the country’s top cop said on Monday.
“Of the total number of personnel found guilty of administrative offenses, 4,591 were summarily dismissed from the service for serious infractions, while 7,888 were meted suspension terms and 846 cops were demoted,” PNP Chief Camilo Cascolan told reporters.
Meanwhile, Cascolan said Some 2,000 police officers nationwide would be reassigned to their new assignments within the week as part of the PNP’ localization program in the deployment of personnel.
He said this mass movement of personnel initially covers inter-regional reassignment of personnel to their hometowns and places of permanent residence to give them a strong sense of ownership of their locality and in the process induce better performance.
Cascolan said the dismissed policemen were punished for their involvement in criminal activities including illegal drugs, grave misconduct, serious neglect of duty, serious irregularity, fund misuse, dishonesty and graft and corruption.
He said 608 erring personnel were penalized with forfeiture of salary, 119 were restricted to quarters and the privileges of 205 others were withheld.
Among those dismissed from the service, 549 were for drug-related cases comprising 410 who tested positive for drug use and 139 for involvement in illegal drug activities, Cascolan said.
“The PNP Internal Cleansing Program doesn’t stop there, rather it will continue to be implemented with greater zeal and commitment in the best interest of transparency and accountability in public service,” he said.
He said he would not tolerate illegal and immoral activities of police officers.
“We will not tolerate any wrongdoings of our people. As what I’ve said, if you do not have a valid reason, we will have to arrest you, file cases against you, put you in jail,” Cascolan said.
He made his remarks after Custodial Service Unit chief, Lt. Col. Jigger Noceda, was charged for sexually assaulting former Ozamiz City vice mayor Nova Princess Parojinog, who is detained at the facility.
Noceda is charged with rape, acts of lasciviousness unjust vexation and violation of the Safe Spaces Act filed by the PNP Women and Children Protection Center based on the affidavit submitted by Parojinog.
Cascolan said the PNP Internal Affairs Service would conduct its own investigation on the incident.