107 cops fired in ARMM’s police cleanup drive

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – A total of 107 police officers in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao have been dismissed from the service since January as the regional police command continues to clean up the ranks of the police in the region.

“We will continue to weed out hoodlums and punish the undisciplined among our ranks,” Chief Superintendent Noel Delos Reyes, the ARMM’s police chief, said in an e-mailed statement.

The ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi

“I will dig deeper into the number of personnel who are facing charges of falsifying their documents and use illegal drugs. Thorough investigation will be conducted and disciplinary sanctions will be meted [out to those] found guilty,” Delos Reyes said.

Delos Reyes said those meted out disciplinary action were accorded due process before the final decisions were arrived at.

The penalties imposed include forfeiture of salary, suspension, demotion in rank and dismissal from the service.

Delos Reyes said that since last year, a total of 199 disciplinary sanctions were meted out on erring policemen.

Among the violations punished were serious neglect of duty, including absence without official leave; conduct unbecoming a police officer, including ice use of prohibited drugs; and grave misconduct, including dishonesty.

Delos Reyes said the cleansing process was continuing with another batch of policemen were expected to be charged soon.