Pimentel to PNP: Don’t send erring cops to Mindanao as punishment

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III called on the Philippine National Police on Tuesday to immediately stop its practice of re-assigning erring policemen to Mindanao, saying the southern region deserves “honest and disciplined lawmen like the rest of the country.”

“Mindanao should be treated by the PNP with the same respect that all Filipinos deserve regardless of their faith, their culture, and their economic status,” Pimentel said in a statement.

“Give Mindanao the best men in uniform. Mindanao deserves nothing less,” he said.

Pimentel said he was just expressing the dismay and apprehension of law-abiding citizens in the region for being the “favored dumping ground” for rogue policemen.

Instead of dumping erring cops in Mindanao, he said the PNP should either file administrative cases against them so they would be expelled or send them back to the Police Academy for re-education and re-orientation of values.

He also urged PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa to swiftly act and prosecute his men allegedly involved in illegal activities, such as the recent abduction and murder of a Korean businessman, who was reportedly strangled to death inside the PNP headquarters.

“Police with known involvement in cases such as this should be swiftly prosecuted and not given a mere slap on the wrist,” Pimentel said.

“They should not be recycled and sent to far-away postings as punishment. This will merely transfer the problem, not put a stop to it,” he further said. JE/rga

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