176 Northern Mindanao cops face administrative cases in 2022

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – One-hundred seventy-six police officers in Northern Mindanao (Region 10) faced administrative cases in 2022 under the Internal Cleansing Program of the Philippine National Police.

Major Joann Navarro, Police Regional Office (PRO)-10 spokesperson, on Saturday, Jan. 21, said 132 cases were resolved and 43 policemen incurred penalties – 24 suspended, ten reprimanded, two demoted one rank, and seven were dismissed, three for involvement in illegal drugs.

She said the remaining 89 resolved cases were tagged as dismissed due to lack of evidence.

The PRO-10 spokesperson said that most of the administrative cases filed were in relation to their duty as police officers in the conduct of police operations and command responsibility.

“If they have personnel who have been involved, let's say in illegal drugs, that is part of the investigation if there are lapses on the part of the official,” Navarro said in the vernacular.

She added there were also administrative cases filed because of personal violation of the law.

“They also have personal or violation in our law. Like, some of them have faced RA 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004). That is a criminal case and since they are police officers, it has a corresponding administrative case,” Navarro said in mixed English and the vernacular.

Navarro said the number of administrative cases filed showed that disciplinary authorities are doing their job in line with the PNP internal cleansing program.

All police units in the region have been urged to consistently conduct Police Information and Continuing Education (PICE) prior to any police operation to remind personnel on the procedures. This is also to ensure they do not commit any human rights violation and implement exactly what is said in the law.