A total of 903 policemen, including 28 junior and middle-ranking officers, were dismissed from the service for various offenses in 2024 in the continuing internal cleansing in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
PNP chief, Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said those dismissed were among the total of 2,765 policemen who were punished over administrative cases ranging from simple to grave misconduct.
Of the 903 policemen dismissed, he said five of them are officers with the rank of lieutenant colonels, six majors, 12 captains, and five lieutenants.
Marbil said that among those penalized, a total of 1,112 policemen were suspended, including an officer with a rank of colonel, 19 lieutenant colonels, 29 majors, 30 captains, and 22 lieutenants.
Other penalties imposed included demotion of 108 cops, forfeiture of salary of 103 policemen, reprimand of 423 policemen, and restriction and withholding of privileges of 108 cops.
“These figures demonstrate the unstinting commitment of the PNP leadership to cleanse its ranks of bad eggs while strictly adhering to due process. Our efforts reflect the PNP’s resolve to ensure accountability and maintain the trust of the Filipino people," Marbil said.
‘Buwena mano’ for 2025
Recently, Marbil placed under restrictive custody 20 police officers still on active duty who were charged over the P6.7 billion drug bust in Manila in October 2022.
Of the 30 accused of involvement, two have retired, three availed of optional retirement, one resigned from the service, and two had been dismissed.
“These facts negate any impression of a ‘conspiracy’ to conceal misdemeanors in the PNP,” said Marbil.
At least 17 of the active policemen were already accounted for.
Internal discipline
At the core of the PNP’s internal reform agenda, according to Marbil, is the Internal Disciplinary Mechanism (IDM) which he said was institutionalized through PNP Command Memorandum Circular No. 20-2020.
He said the framework adopts a holistic, three-point approach, namely:
Preventive Approach that focuses on proactive measures designed to deter misconduct before it arises;
Punitive Approach, often referred to as the "iron hand" of the policy, which ensures that erring personnel are held accountable through the imposition of appropriate sanctions;
Restorative Approach, or the "soft hand," aims to rehabilitate penalized personnel while restoring the morale and dignity of exonerated officers through moral recovery programs, seminars, and reintegration activities.
“The PNP has also implemented measures to expedite case resolution, including the Zero-Backlog Program, which adheres to the 110-day resolution timeframe,’ said Marbil.
He said that in 2024 alone, a total of 1,663 personnel underwent seminars on disciplinary policies, enhancing their capacity to handle administrative cases with efficiency and procedural precision.