PNP purged of 4,591 rogue cops

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police’s internal cleansing has resulted in some 4,500 rogue cops, including more than 500 involved in the narcotics trade or illegal drug users, being kicked out from the service since 2016.

PNP chief Camilo Pancratius Cascolan said on Monday that the dismissed policemen were part of a total 15,768 sanctioned for administrative and criminal offenses.

Cascolan said 4,591 rogue policemen were summarily dismissed for serious infractions, including 549 people for drug-related cases where 410 tested positive for narcotics use and 139 who were found to be involved in the illegal drug trade.

The policemen were penalized for grave misconduct, serious neglect of duty, serious irregularity, malversation, dishonesty, and graft and corruption.

—Jeanette I. Andrade