MANILA -- In line with the Philippine National Police's (PNP) internal cleansing program, close to 7,500 cops were given disciplinary penalties for administrative offenses, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said on Thursday.
In a press briefing held at Camp Crame, Quezon City, Albayalde said a total of 7,431 PNP personnel have been meted disciplinary penalties for administrative offenses since 2016.
Of the figure, around 2,169 personnel were dismissed from the service, 4,133 were suspended, 436 demoted, 464 reprimanded, 30 restricted to quarters, 48 withheld privileges, and 151 whose salaries have been forfeited.
In the past 19 months of the PNP's internal cleansing program, Albayalde said the Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) arrested 91 police personnel and neutralized seven personnel in 50 separate counter-intelligence operations.
“Particularly along my service agenda for internal cleansing and organizational discipline, I take note of the swift and decisive counter-intelligence operations by PNP units mainly through the CITF,” Albayalde told reporters.
CITF commander, Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr., said the task force received a total of 13,481 complaints via SMS and calls through its hotline numbers, including 1,718 complaints concerning 450 police commissioned officers and 1,454 police non-commissioned officers from Feb. 3, 2017 to Sept. 27, 2018.
The CITF investigations led to the filing of administrative cases before the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) against 66 police personnel, and criminal charges in court against 85 other errant police personnel, including 21 civilians.
Caramat said 173 complaints and information received by task force were subsequently referred to concerned offices of Deputy Regional Director for Operations.
Of the 13,481 complaints and information received since Feb. 3, 2017, 36 complaints involving 75 PNP personnel and civilians were investigated and other 137 cases involving 180 PNP personnel and civilians were referred to respective PNP units for proper validation.
The CITF added there are also 152 walk-in complainants against 203 PNP personnel and other involved civilians.
Meanwhile, the CITF called on the public to report abuse, irregularities and anomalies involving PNP personnel through its 24/7 Text and Call hotlines: 0998-970-2286 and 09995-795-2569 and through "Counter Intelligence Task Force" (@PNPCITF) on Facebook Messenger. (PNA)
