Zero tolerance for dirty cops – Palace

MANILA, Philippines - “Zero tolerance” is the only way rogue policemen are dealt with under the Aquino administration, Malacañang said yesterday as the nation tried to come to terms with a recent daring kidnapping on busy EDSA, which turned out to have been carried out by police officers.

Photos of the incident went viral on social media and prompted an investigation by police.

“The rule we follow here is zero tolerance on so-called rogue cops,” Presidential Communiations Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in Filipino at a news briefing, downplaying perceptions that most policemen were criminals or crooks. “They (rogue cops) form a very small proportion of the total strength of the PNP.”

He stressed that only a few of the 148,000 members of the Philippine National Police were found engaged in criminal activities.

He clarified that those involved in the EDSA incident had already been identified and that the deputy commander of the La Loma station, to which the erring policemen were detailed, had been arrested.

Coloma also sought to rectify impressions that the peace and order situation had gone out of control.

He noted that high-profile fugitives have in fact been arrested, like retired general Jovito Palparan. He also cited the arrest of the alleged mastermind as well as the gunman in the murder of racing champion Enzo Pastor. He said only former congressman Ruben Ecleo and former Palawan governor Joel Reyes and his brother remain at large.

He said the PNP is beefing up its manpower, upgrading its equipment and weaponry and stepping up operations against loose firearms.

“This is all part of the government’s efforts on the challenges in the peace and order situation in the country.

“What would be a major blow is if there is no effort on the part of its (PNP) leadership to clean up its ranks. What would be a major blow is if there would be a situation where the PNP is not doing its duty,” Coloma said.

“And from what I have just discussed, the PNP is definitely on the ball and it’s doing its job, given the challenges of a large number of people to be covered and given the deficiencies in manpower and equipment that it’s still trying to address,” he added.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, for his part, said President Aquino is open to the idea of offering reward for the immediate arrest of the other policemen involved in the EDSA incident.

Roxas said policemen involved in illegal activities should be punished severely since they violated their sworn duty to serve and protect the people.

“That’s why I asked the President and he approved that we look into the possibility of allocating reward for the immediate arrest of these policemen. Crimes are bad but it’s worse when policemen themselves are committing crimes,” Roxas said in a radio interview.

Chief Inspector Joseph de Vera, head of the Follow Up and Investigation Unit of the La Loma Police Precinct in Quezon City, and PO2 Jonathan Rodriguez, a member of the District Public Safety Battalion, have been arrested and charged with highway robbery with serious illegal detention.

The other suspects – dismissed policeman Inspector Marco Polo Esratra, Senior Inspector Oliver Villanueva, SPO1 Ramil Hachero, PO1 Mark de Paz, PO2 Ebonn Decatoria, PO2 Jerome Datinguinoo, and PO2 Weavin Masa – remained at large.

Roxas said that while he was happy with the prompt arrest of the suspects, he was also disappointed on realizing that men in uniform were involved in criminal activities.

Roxas also pointed out that the case is not yet solved despite the breakthrough in the investigation, since other suspects remain at large.

Roxas also called on the entire police force to work together and protect the integrity of the institution.

“They were issued uniforms, badges, guns, radios and other equipment and they used these to commit crimes. If there is mortal sin, I consider this double mortal sin. We cannot let them get away with this,” he said. – Cecille Suerte Felipe