Time to impose stricter disciplinary rules on rogue cops — Acop
At A Glance
- Antipolo 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop said Wednesday, Aug. 27 that it's about time that the Philippine National Police (PNP) impose stricter disciplinary rules on its rogue members.
Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop (PPAB)
Antipolo 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop said Wednesday, Aug. 27 that it's about time that the Philippine National Police (PNP) impose stricter disciplinary rules on its rouge members.
Acop says current disciplinary rules for police personnel are "too lax" as they only follow those provider for by the Civil Service Law. Other agencies, such as the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), follow military disciplinary rules.
"Yung police na gumawa ng kasalanan... ang pinakamarami pong kaso sa uniformed service ay yung police. The Coast Guard, kunti 'yung kanilang kaso. Yung members ng AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection), saka BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) kukunti ang kaso (There are more police officers committing abuses than PCG, AFP, BFP and BJMP members)," he said during a House Committee on Public Order and Safety hearing.
Acop then asked National Police Commission (Napolcom) vice chairperson and executive officer Rafael Calinisan if he would agree with him that "It is high time that the Napolcom to come up with its own police justice system."
Acop made the suggestion as he said there was "no certainty of punishment" for erring members of the PNP. Because of this, they continue to abuse their position.
Calinisan agreed, and added that there was a slow disposition of cases of as far as these police officers were concerned.
He says some cases remain unsolved even after 10 to 25 years.
"It's very unsafe to have a rogue cop wearing a uniform, having a badge, having a gun," Calinisan said.
Aside from the possibility of coming up with stricter disciplinary rules for rogue officers, Calinisan said he already ordered the resolution of the remaining pending cases within 60 days.
"Right now, ang utos po natin, i-zero ho lahat yan. Yung libu-libong kaso, by end of the year, dapat ho ma-zero 'yan (my order is to turn it to zero. Those thousands of cases, they should be turned to zero by the end of the year)," he added.