14 CV cops may face Dismissal

CEBU, Philippines - Fourteen policemen in Central Visayas face the risk of getting dismissed from service due to their failure to appear in court as prosecution witnesses which resulted in the provisional dismissal of 12 drug cases.

Out of the 14, 12 of these policemen are from Cebu while the two others are from Bohol.

The FREEMAN is withholding the names of the policemen pending summary dismissal hearing of cases at the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7.

All 12 drugs cases were filed from 2008 to 2013 and the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management in the National Headquarters is keeping track of these cases.

The Discipline, Law and Order Section (DLOS) of PRO-7 will conduct initial evaluation if the involved policemen violated Rule 21, Section 2 of the National Police Commission Memorandum Circular 2007-001.

The memorandum states that if the police officer’s failure to appear and testify in court resulted in the dismissal of the case or acquittal of the accused or when he is the principal witness of the arresting officer, he will face the penalty of dismissal from the service.

 Sr. Insp. Rubin Cuizon, DLOS chief, said if these policemen were reassigned to another assignment and their immediate superiors failed to inform the court, they could also be held liable.

“Some of the reasons nga dili makatunga ang prosecution witness kay usa nana ang transfer of assignment or if wala na inform sa superior dayon ang korte pwede siya i-apil sa administrative case,” Cuizon said.

DLOS will forward all cases to the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division for the conduct of a pre-charge investigation.

If probable cause is found, cases will be forwarded to the PRO 7 Regional Director for approval before it will be submitted to the Regional Personnel and Human Resources and Development Division for summary dismissal proceeding. — /MBG (FREEMAN)