Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) OIC-Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that the 18 NCRPO cops who were caught sleeping or drinking on their jobs will be meted with harsh penalties for dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming, and other appropriate charges.
Año said he has given specific instructions to the National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership to “act with dispatch” on the case of the 18 cops and file appropriate administrative charges for their wrongdoing.
“Nagbigay na ako ng direktiba sa Napolcom at PNP na bigyan ng karampatang parusa ang mga pulis na ito. Kahiya-hiya para sa buong kapulisan ang ginawa nila,” he said.
Año said the 18 erring policemen do not deserve the increase in salary given to uniformed members of the police force this January as they prove to be “a disgrace” to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“Walang karason-rason para maging tamad o tiwali ang mga pulis ngayon dahil doble na ang sahod nila. Pero imbis na maging mas masipag at masigasig sa pagpapatrolya at pagtugis sa kriminal ang 18 pulis na ito, tutulog-tulog pa sila sa trabaho,” he said.
The DILG Chief said he has also ordered all PNP regional and provincial directors to follow the example of NCRPO Chief Oscar Albayalde and conduct similar spot checks and inspections of all their operating units to ensure that all policemen assigned in the stations are doing their jobs.
“I commend Gen. Albayalde for doing these spot inspections personally. Nothing beats leading by example,” he said.
Last Wednesday, NCRPO chief Albayalde caught the cops assigned at the Maricaban Police Community Precinct (PCP) in Pasay sleeping and the personnel of Sucat PCP in Muntinlupa drinking liquor while on duty.
The erring cops have been stripped of their weapons and badges and were reassigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
In January this year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Joint Resolution No. 1 authorizing the salary hike for all uniformed personnel. The lowest ranking policeman now receives P29,668, a 100 percent increase from the previous P14,834 monthly basic pay.
