EDITORIAL - Gross neglect of duty

Two police generals have retired, but they will still feel their dismissal from the service in the forfeiture of all their retirement benefits. Deputy Director General Benjamin Belarmino Jr. and Chief Superintendent Herold Ubalde were ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty in connection with the purchase of 75 rubber boats and 18 spare engines by the Philippine National Police in 2008. Eight other PNP officials and personnel were also suspended in connection with the deal.

Belarmino, Ubalde and the others still face graft charges filed last year by the ombudsman with the Sandiganbayan for the P131.5-million negotiated procurement of the boats and outboard motors. Also facing charges in court is retired PNP chief Jesus Verzosa.

Other PNP officials are facing administrative and criminal charges for questionable supply procurement deals including the acquisition of second-hand helicopters at brand-new prices. Some of the officials have argued that their roles in the deals were largely ministerial. Even if this is true, a law enforcer’s silence in the face of a questionable transaction is seen as acquiescence and therefore complicity. At the very least, such officials will find themselves sanctioned for gross neglect of duty.

The legal woes of these PNP officials, several of whom are supposed to be enjoying their retirement, should bring home to cops the importance of ensuring that all transactions they enter into are aboveboard. Technology is leaving little room for excuses in blocking transparency in government procurement. These days, where there is opaqueness in utilization of public funds, state auditors or anti-graft investigators tend to nose around.

The legal problems of some of the PNP’s ranking officials should spur the organization to implement long-overdue measures to promote transparency and accountability. If cops don’t care much about their organization, perhaps they will want to keep in mind that anomalous deals can ruin careers and permanently tarnish a police officer’s name.