‘Falling in love’ with detainee not an excuse to commit crime, Gamboa tells Cebu cop

MANILA, Philippines — Cops are not supposed to be doing illegal activities, such as having sex with a detainee, or tapping them as personal helper or driver.

Philippine National Police (chief) Gen. Archie Gamboa reminded this to cops on Monday after two police chiefs were  arrested for committing such acts.

The chief-of-police in Argao town, Cebu, Maj. Ildefonso Miranda Jr. was arrested after he was caught “sleeping” beside a 23-year-old female inmate inside his room at the municipal police station, while another female inmate who he tapped as helper was sleeping inside his office. He later on claimed that his only crime was “falling in love” with the inmate he was caught in bed with.

Meanwhile, the deputy police chief of Norzagaray in Bulacan Capt. Wilfredo Dizon was arrested using a detainee as his personal driver.

Gamboa reminded his men that the PNP is currently implementing intensified internal cleansing as directed by President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

“Palagi ko naman ito inuulit na huwag kayong sumama doon sa anim na PNP personnel per day dismissed, at ito may dalawang matigas ang ulo (I always remind them that they should not be among the six cops who are dismissed per day but these two are hard-headed),” Gamboa told reporters in a press conference in Camp Crame.

“We should not only be doing that would make us clean but all of us should appear clean. How would you appear clean if you are using persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) as your driver? And policemen are not supposed to be ‘in love’ with PDLs,” he added.

The PNP Integrity and Enforcement Group (IMEG) has already recommended to the Central Visayas police chief the summary dismissal of Miranda.

IMEG also said that the two cops will face administrative charges.

EDV