3,000 police scalawags being monitored

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 3,000 police officers suspected to be involved in illegal activities are being monitored, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said yesterday.

The figure represents about 1.31 percent of the 228,000-strong PNP all over the country.

Speaking to reporters at Camp Crame, Acorda said he has ordered intensified intelligence monitoring and legal offensives against misfits within their ranks.

“We will pursue the case buildup against them, those individuals, and continuous monitoring,” Acorda said.

He stressed that the number of rogue officers in the PNP, as sourced from their counter-intelligence operations, is minimal.

He said among the common nefarious activities are involvement in the illegal drug trade and extortion.

Acorda ordered intelligence-driven operations against scalawags shortly after he assumed command of the police force from former PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr.

The PNP chief also urged the public not to be afraid and instead report corrupt police officers so that they can take action.

“Let us be brave enough to come out and expose the wrongdoings of these rogue cops,” he said in Filipino. “Our police force too, I encourage them to stand united behind this so the trust of the people will remain.”

Abolishing SOUs

After an investigation revealed that several anti-narcotics officers are involved in illegal drug activities, the PNP is looking to dissolve the special operations units (SOUs) of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG).

“That is one and we are studying it,” Acorda told reporters.

The possible dissolution of the PDEG’s specialized units came after allegations that some SOU operatives from the National Capital Region (NCR) took 42 kilos of shabu from the lending office of dismissed anti-narcotics officer Rodolfo Mayo Jr. who was caught with 990 kilos of shabu worth P6.7 billion in Tondo last year.

The PDEG has SOUs in all 17 regions in the country. If Acorda approves the proposal, he said all operations of the PDEG will be centralized and based on case operational plans.

With a centralized system, Acorda said the anti-narcotics operations of the PDEG are monitored. If the SOUs are abolished, Acorda said their regional drug enforcement units are going to be the ones conducting aggressive operations in the regional and provincial levels.

Probe

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos wants an investigation on the supposed measly service recognition incentive (SRI) received by members of the PNP, following reports that policemen were receiving smaller bonuses than expected.

Abalos said that action from the Department of the Interior and Local Government will depend on the guidance of the Department of Budget and Management.

Still, he said he has already tasked Acorda to look into the matter.

“Of course, we will have it looked at within the PNP. We will hand it to the PNP chief. But we should be guided by DBM about this. Because it’s savings from each department, there are policies about this,” he said, adding that the amount of bonuses is dependent on many factors. –Romina Cabrera