Background Photo: Manila Police District’s Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Police District (MPD) has relieved all police officers of the Paco Police Community Precinct in Manila from their posts after three of its cops were recently arrested over alleged extortion.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. made the announcement Monday when asked about the status of his “internal cleansing program” in the police force.
READ: Three cops arrested for alleged extortion
“Ngayong umaga, isa riyan sa ire-relieve ng ating district director ng MPD ay iyon pong buong personnel ng Paco substation. There will be other units that will succeed sa series of relieving just to emphasize na hindi po tayo nagbibiro sa ating internal cleansing,” he said in a presser at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
(This morning, the district director of the MPD will relieve all the personnel from the Paco substation. Other units will succeed in the relieving series just to emphasize that we’re serious about this internal cleansing.)
Azurin pointed out that the next in line to the commander is given the authority to relieve all police unit officers from their posts should one of them commit wrongdoing.
“Bantayan po natin ang mga kasamahan natin, and we caution them kung sila man po ay gumagawa nang hindi maganda at hindi naaayon sa mandato na dapat nilang gawin bilang pulis,” he added.
(We should watch our colleagues and caution them if they’re doing anything against our police mandate.)
The country’s top cop then stressed: “They should be out. They should be relieved, and they should be sent to training.”
To recall, the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group arrested three police officers inside the Paco Police Community Precinct last Monday for reportedly demanding P2,000 from a tricycle driver in exchange for his impounded vehicle.