NCRPO acting chief, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas. (File photo)
MANILA -- A total of 198 Metro Manila police officers were found to be using vehicles with violations, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Tuesday.
NCRPO chief, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas said the figure is out of 3,292 vehicles checked in various camps and stations in Metro Manila.
The vehicles were either unregistered, lack proper markings such as a plate number or found to have incurred traffic violations.
The program, dubbed as “Oplan Viserion”, is part of the PNP's internal cleansing efforts which penalizes police officers and non-uniformed personnel who buy and use unregistered and stolen vehicles.
"This is ongoing. This is held once or twice a month at different camps and stations to ensure that police personnel do not use carnapped or recovered vehicles," Sinas told reporters during a press briefing held at Camp Crame.
The inspection is done randomly where a lockdown is implemented in camps and police stations once it starts.
"NCRPO endeavors to cleanse its ranks against personnel committing these kinds of violations as part of the PNP’s Internal Cleansing Program," Sinas said.
Police officers caught using recovered vehicles will face appropriate administrative and criminal charges.
"This is for them (police officers) to understand that we should follow the law," Sinas said.
The NCRPO will continue partnering with the PNP-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) to strengthen the program.
"For now, we are very happy about this accomplishment as it shows that policemen using recovered vehicles are not rampant and the directive is followed by the majority," Sinas said.
PNP chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa earlier ordered a crackdown on police officers using recovered and carnapped vehicles.
This is part of the directives and guidance of the chairman of the National Police Commission chairperson and Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año who was earlier directed by President Rodrigo Duterte to supervise the 205,000-strong PNP.
Under Standard Operating Procedure No. 7 or the Revised Procedure in the Reporting and Disposition of Stolen and Recovered/Impounded Motor Vehicles released on April 12, 2011, no PNP personnel shall use a recovered-stolen or impounded motor vehicle or cause the use thereof by any person prior to the lifting of the "alarm" issued thereon and the subsequent release of said motor vehicle to its lawful owner.
He said the removal of any part or accessory of the recovered-stolen/impounded motor vehicle is also punishable under this measure.
Gamboa said PNP personnel are also prohibited from using private vehicles without plate number or conduction sticker number. (PNA)
