MANILA – Intensified operations of the Philippine National Police-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) have resulted in the dismissal of 131 erring police officers, a ranking police official said Thursday.
These police officers were dismissed from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14 this year, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in a presser in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
She added that these officers were dismissed from the service for their involvement in various illegal activities such as robbery, illegal drugs, obstruction of justice, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
Of this figure, 62 personnel went absent without official leave (AWOL).
During its fifth founding anniversary Thursday, the IMEG said it has conducted a total of 86 law enforcement operations.
Of this number, 56 operations resulted in the arrest of a total of 69 individuals which include one police commissioned officer (PCO), 16 police non-commissioned officers (PNCO), and five civilians.
In the campaign against wanted persons, a total of 47 active and former PNP members were arrested -- 21 PNCO and 26 others who were either retired or dismissed members of the organization.
131 cybercriminals nabbed in 2 years
Meanwhile, the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) on Thursday announced that it has arrested 131 cybercriminals during a series of operations nationwide for the years 2022 to 2023.
Of the 131 cybercriminals, some 66 were captured in entrapment operations while 65 were caught based on warrants of arrest.
The PNP ACG filed 284 cases for violation of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code, commonly referred to as swindling/estafa in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier directed the police force to improve its prevention, detection, and investigation of cases to combat cybercrimes considering the current sophisticated and technology-based crime modalities.
The PNP has already proposed the establishment of a Cybersecurity Center for the monitoring, detection, protection, and mitigation of and response to cybersecurity issues and incidents in the agency’s information and communications technology infrastructure. (PNA)
