PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde. INQUIRER.net / Gabriel Pabico Lalu
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde tried to allay fears that policemen involved in kidnap-for-ransom incidents would only be reassigned to other offices, saying that they would be dismissed from the service.
“‘Yung mga tinanggal natin, especially na ‘dun sa FTI sa Taguig, hindi natin ni-reassign dahil idi-dismiss natin lahat ng mga ‘yan,” Albayalde said in an ambush interview on Wednesday.
“It’s useless if we reassign them, then after one or two months ay idi-dismiss natin,” he added.
Some netizens have decried the mere relief of erring policemen. Some said that it was only a way of recycling bad eggs in the PNP.
While Albayalde previously defended the reassigning of policemen, it appears that the case of lawmen arrested in Taguig City is different.
On Tuesday morning, three policemen from the Western Bicutan Police Community Precinct (PCP) were arrested in Arca South, Taguig, over complaints of kidnapping and extortion. Another policeman allegedly tried to resist arrest and was killed in a shootout.
After the incident, 39 other police officers from the same PCP were relieved of their posts due to alleged links with the suspects.
READ: Albayalde says PNP open to constructive criticism / 3 policemen in kidnap-for-ransom fall, another killed in Taguig / NCRPO chief sacks 39 Taguig cops suspected of links to kidnapping
According to Albayalde, they have formed additional investigating bodies to speed up the processes of removing the erring officers.
“We assigned several summary hearing officers, dinagdagan natin, so that mapabilis ‘yong summary hearing procedures,” he said.
The PNP chief noted that summary dismissal proceedings usually lasted four months, but with the move, these could be shortened to two.
“Ngayon lalo na sa mga malalakas na ebidensyang hawak natin, meron tayong video, meron tayong physical evidence, gagawin natin as much as possible na two months, one month na pre-charge evaluation and one month na summary hearing,” he added.
He also underscored the importance of the hearing procedure in ensuring that the policemen would no longer be able to return to service.
“Kailangan kasi nating ibigay sa kanila ‘yong due process para hindi tayo ma-technical pagdating ng araw, kasi ginagawang dahilan ‘yan para sila ay makapag-motion for reconsideration at maibalik sila sa mainstream, sa pagka-pulis,” Albayalde explained. “So ito, para sigurado na hindi na sila makabalik, we still give them the due process.” /cbb