Resolve cases vs cops within 60 days, Remulla orders Napolcom
By Chito Chavez
At A Glance
- Napolcom cited the case of a viral police vlogger who was dismissed from the service for openly attacking ranking police officials over the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla ordered the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to resolve the cases against police officers within 60 days.
He issued the directive following the President Marcos' instruction to put premium in the swift resolution of pending cases against the police officers.
Following suit, the Napolcom vowed to cleanse the ranks of the police organization, saying that the commission is “committed to resolve administrative cases against erring police officers within 60 days.’’
Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Rafael Vicente R. Calinisan confirmed the implementation of a 60-day resolution period from the filing of complaints to the issuance of decisions.
Emphasizing the urgency to restore public trust, Calinisan said there should be no more room for the snail-pace resolution of cases against cops in the commission.
Calinisan said the Commission has already begun implementing the new timeline, citing the recent dismissal of Pat. Francis Steve Fontillas, as well as the resolution of two long-pending cases filed 21 and 18 years ago.
He relayed that the commission is now conducting an inventory of thousands of pending cases and is targeting zero backlog by Dec. 2025.
Drawing from his experience as former chair and executive officer of the Quezon City People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB), Calinisan affirmed that “the goal is both realistic and necessary.’’
He stressed that while the welfare of the police force remains a priority, there will be no tolerance for misconduct.
He warned the police officers that the “disciplinary authorities’’ are ready to impose appropriate sanctions for their misdeeds, adding that the corrupt and abusive days of the rogue cops are numbered.
Calinisan also prodded the public to actively report abuses, stating that the transformation of the police force requires accountability from all sectors of society.