Sta. Ana Police Station commander relieved for 'failure to supervise' personnel
The commander of Sta. Ana Police Station was axed after a surprise inspection at the station showed that most of its personnel were not going on duty.
Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, Manila Police District (MPD) director, said Lt. Col. Christopher Luyun was the second commander to be relieved for "failure to supervise his men." Lt. Col. Robert Sales, Malate Police Station commander, was sacked for the same reason on December 12.
Francisco said he only saw around 15 police officers on duty at Sta. Ana Police Station when he conducted a surprise inspection over the weekend. He said there should have been at least 45 cops on duty at the time of the inspection.
When he asked Luyun where his men were, he failed to answer. The Manila police chief then called the absent police officers, who said they were conducting police visibility patrols and attending court hearings, reasons which Francisco debunked.
Francisco said a buddy system should be employed for police visibility operations, but those who said they were doing so could not say which police officer accompanied them.
Meanwhile, those who said they attended court hearings could not show certificates proving their attendance or even text messages from officials asking them to go to the court.
"Dismayado ako kasi 'yung mga tao, hinahanap kung nasaan 'yung mga pulis., 'Yun pala tama sila kasi hindi malaman kung nasaan ang mga pulis (I am dismayed because the public keeps asking where are the police. And it turns out that their complaints are true because we don't know where the police are)," he said in an interview.
Francisco said he has visited at least nine police stations so far. Aside from Sta. Ana Police Station and Malate Police Station, the rest are compliant with police protocols, he said.