PNP to make example of 3 erring police chiefs

PURISIMA. Photo by RICHARD A. REYES

The Philippine National Police will press administrative charges against the chiefs of police of three cities in Metro Manila to warn others against underreporting crime incidents.

The PNP spokesperson said the administrative case to be filed against the chiefs of police of Mandaluyong, Pasay and Taguig City may lead to their dismissal if they would be found to have deliberately underreported crime figures in their areas.

“I was told that if proven (guilty), the end result would also (include) dismissal,” Senior Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac said Friday. “So let this be a warning to our chiefs of police that they should abide by their mandate, which is to report crimes accurately and truthfully.”

Sindac was referring to the cases of Senior Supt. Florendo Quibuyen (Mandaluyong), Senior Supt. Rodolfo Llorca (Pasay), and Senior Supt. Arthur Felix Asis (Taguig).

Six other chiefs of police and station commanders in Manila and Quezon City, whose official crime data reports were also found to have been downplayed, are still under “pre-charge investigation,” according to the PNP spokesperson.

Sindac said PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima would impose a “one-strike policy” wherein police chiefs found committing the offense for the first time would be immediately relieved of their command.

Meanwhile, Southern Police District director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte said Llorca and Asis would remain in their posts until the SPD receives a formal directive to have them relieved.

Villacorte was reacting to a media report (not in the Inquirer) that the two officials had already been sacked.

“Until I receive the order, they are still the chiefs of police of Taguig and Pasay,” he said. Dona Z. Pazzibugan and Jaymee Gamil