MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday dismissed the allegations of Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific (CATW-AP), an international network of feminist groups, that “palit puri” or the sex-for-freedom scheme is a common practice among police personnel.
“I think that's harsh to say. That's unfair naman sa amin siguro (on PNP’s part) if you say that, it's totally unfair to the PNP,” PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde told reporters during the press conference.
Albayalde was reacting to the statements of CATW-AP executive director Jean Enriquez, who claimed that the scheme allegedly involves policemen asking women arrested over drug related charges to have sex with them in exchange for their freedom. Criminal charges will also be dropped against the women suspects.
Enriquez alleged that such illegal practice “worsened” amid the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs.
Albayalde said there may be isolated cases wherein policemen are accused of having sexually harassed a woman, but it does not mean that it is already a trend.
“We will never tolerate these things to happen in our ranks and we want to assure the public on that. This single act does not reflect the general behavior and discipline that we have in the PNP,” he said.
“Records will show that these are all isolated cases… It's not every day that these things happen,” he added.
He said the personnel from the PNP-Human Rights Affairs Office as well as the Women and Children Protection Center are regularly visiting local police offices to educate their men on such matter and that they also have coordination with the Commission on Human Rights.
“Just recently, we have the International Red Cross going around the different (police ) stations, not only they are checking on the detainees, and their condition but also on how they are being treated by our policemen,” Albayalde said.
“We have the IAS (Internal Affairs Service). ‘Yung aming (That's the) disciplinary mechanism in place...It was never arbitrary and will never be arbitrary,” he added.
He reiterated that it will not tolerate unscrupulous acts of police officers, following the arrest of PO1 Eduardo Valencia, a rookie cop assigned at the Manila Police District, for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl.
“We already said since the start of the administration, we will show no mercy on these cops who are involved in illegal activities. We will not tolerate those misdeeds. Let him prove himself that he is not guilty for the crime of rape of a relative of the suspects who were arrested,” Albayalde told reporters last October 29.
Pending the outcome of the initial investigation, Valencia is facing administrative charges as well as rape and grave misconduct raps. (PNA)
