Lifestyle checks on cops done long before Purisima wealth issue—PNP

Camp Crame. Photo by Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police has been conducting lifestyle checks on its policemen since 2013, long before its chief was embroiled in a controversy over his alleged hidden wealth.

In 2013, PNP Director General Alan Purisima ordered a scrutiny of policemen, to be carried out by the directorate for intelligence.

This was detailed in a memorandum dated March 14, 2013, which directed all regional directors to conduct lifestyle checks on policemen assigned to offices “vulnerable to corruption.”

The lifestyle check was to cover policemen from the regional headquarters down to the police stations.

“To date, there are a number of policemen, including star-ranked officials, who are undergoing the said lifestyle check,” said the PNP spokesperson, Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac in a statement.

Sindac said the PNP has been conducting its own internal cleansing against anti-corruption campaign and to promote transparency and public accountability.

“Honesty teams” from the directorate for intelligence were formed in 2006 to crack down on policemen engaged in extortion, mulcting, bribery, and other illegal activities.

Sindac said the deployment of honesty teams would be intensified to support the lifestyle check recently ordered by interior secretary Mar Roxas.

In March 2009, the PNP issued letters of instruction, detailing guidelines in dealing with policemen engaged in illegal activities in order to promote discipline and good behavior, as well as weed out scalawags from the PNP.

“All these anti-corruption initiatives were designed to block and eliminate possible opportunities and situations where graft and corruption may be committed,” Sindac said.

The official added that the PNP would adhere to the lifestyle check of the 148,000-strong PNP “in the interest of transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption efforts.”

“This serves as an opportunity to protect the PNP’s good name by eliminating suspicions and speculations of alleged ill-gotten wealth or involvement in criminal activities,” Sindac stressed.

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