38 cops axed from the service last month

By Ronron
November 6, 2007

Thirty-eight policemen were dismissed from the service in October, the first month of Director General Avelino Razon, Jr. as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, due to different infractions, officials said Tuesday.

According to Director Edgardo Acuña, chief of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM), the 38 are among the respondents in the 633 administrative cases filed before the various PNP disciplinary bodies from October 1 to 31 in the different parts of the country.

Aside from the 38, eight personnel were demoted in rank, 74 were suspended, 144 were penalized with salary forfeiture, 28 were reprimanded, and three were forced to resign.

“All these 633 administrative cases stemmed from complaints which were all investigated and acted upon at the different levels of command, some of which were meted non-disciplinary sanctions while others were either exonerated of their cases dropped,” Acuña said.

Acuña said the cases are as minor as many absences, to violation of Police Operational Procedures that result in death of people.

He said most of the cases come from Metro Manila.

Acuña said that compared to the cases in October 2006, this year’s were “a little bit higher because the stress-point of the chief PNP is to weed out undisciplined personnel who commit infractions left and right.”

When Razon assumed the top PNP post on October 1, he vowed to improve the image of the police in the concept of Mamang Pulis by weeding out rogue personnel.

In contrast, Acuña said 16,532 uniformed and non-uniformed personnel were awarded for outstanding performance of duty during the same period.

They include nine officers who were awarded the Medalya ng Katapangan sa Paglilingkod or PNP Distinguished Service Medal.

“Just as we are responsive to the morale and welfare needs of police personnel, and quick to give due recognition for outstanding performance of duty, we are also swift and decisive in addressing issues on misconduct and breach of discipline,” Razon said in a statement./DMS