Impunity at the PNP

The hits just keep on coming at the Philippine National Police (PNP)! First, we have the brilliant SPO4 Jose de la Peña who had the fortune of victimizing the NCRPO Chief’s son! He was trying to extort P20,000 – probably for an expensive Phantom mask – by making a trumped-up charge of phone sex against the guy who was just parked beside the road, talking to a friend on his cellphone! He must have quite a set of ears to go with that face if he could actually hear the ongoing conversation! I mean, phone sex? That is really stretching it! Apparently the PNP even has a code for this kind of crime, a Code 2!

De la Peña and his partner, SPO2 Resty del Rosario are now in hot water for what they have done, although del Rosario is crying to the heavens that he did not participate in the extortion and was just obeying his superior officer. Yeah right! I’m sure there were no chances to stop his partner when it became obvious he was up to something no good! I’m sure he was totally unaware of what was transpiring. And I’m sure phone sex is common on the roads nowadays!

Why de la Peña continues to be a police officer with several cases filed against him, some for the same crime of extortion, baffles me. The PNP is just like one of those law fraternities who just won’t give up one of their own. De la Peña should have been suspended when the first case against him came up! At least, his latest caper was just serendipitous! I hope it changes the attitudes of many in the PNP, including those at the top!

Now, we have the scrapped assault rifle deal worth a measly P391 million! And all it took was a Google search by no less than President Aquino! He was wondering why assault rifles would cost P80,000 when they only cost P40,000 if purchased from a retail outlet in the US? Buying bulk would mean even more discounts. Perhaps those involved in the procurement of the rifles were basing the price on what it would cost at the local gun store! They probably thought they could rationalize the price by using local retail as the basis. Well, the President is a lot smarter than that, aside from being a gun enthusiast, as well. And who was it that wanted the deal exempt from public bidding? The all-powerful friend? The immovable tree? The seemingly untouchable, no matter what the Palace says?

I really don’t know why the PNP always seems to think it can get away with anything. Impunity is truly well rooted in this organization. From the Euro generals, to the overpriced, fraudulent helicopters and now, expensive assault rifles. If this were any other administration, they probably would have succeeded in making the prices stick. But not this one. If anything, we have a President who knows his guns!

The current probe on the overpriced assault rifles must have an explanation. And whoever is behind it, I mean whoever, must be brought to justice. This may be the first anomalous transaction in this administration. Something I’m sure the President does not want happening on his watch. And I hope this administration gets rid of the de la Peñas within its ranks, no matter how important they seem to be! Make them “touchable”!