President Rodrigo Duterte (File photo from INQUIRER.net)
DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte had given police officers who have been recommended for termination some respite, saying he was still reviewing their cases before deciding if they should stay or go.
On Jan. 15, the President announced that he was firing over 50 scalawag police officers, “including two to three generals,” as part of his campaign against corruption.
“I’m poised to fire 49 policemen and two to three generals,” Duterte said during the turnover of patrol cars to the city police on Jan. 15.
He even warned that abusive police officers could face death.
“Those involved in abuses, murder-for-hire, those ‘ninja jobs,’ you do not only lose funds, you lose your life,” Duterte said.
But during his return from his state visit to India on Saturday, the President said he was still reviewing the cases of those he had announced would be fired.
“The investigation is over. It’s just a matter of looking into the charges again,” he said.
Duterte admitted that there was indeed a recommendation to terminate the 49 policemen and two to three generals but said he was being careful before deciding.
“You know, when you fire people, especially those with high ranks, you have to be very careful,” he said. “But there’s a recommendation to terminate them that’s why I announced it.”
He said his decision would depend on that review.
“But whether I will go ahead with it, I have to – personally, being a lawyer – review. I need time. That is what is utterly lacking… in my life now. It’s always short of time and short of sleep.”
During his speech on Jan. 15 here, Duterte said he would understand if a police officer were to charged in a case for doing his job but he could never understand those who would engage in corruption.
While he would defend those performing their jobs, he said he would not think twice about firing those involved in serious misdeeds.
“Your two pockets are full already, especially the generals,” he said as he spoke about the salary increase the police force had received.
“I’m so very much enamored with police work,” he said, but added that frequenting bars was not part of the work.
“I don’t want to see police cars in entertainment houses,” he said. “Graft and corruption will not [take place] during my watch,” he said. /atm