A total of 753 policemen have been dismissed from the service since April 1 when Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil assumed command of the PNP.
In a statement on Wednesday night, the PNP said 493 of the policemen were dismissed from April 1 to February 12 this year for going AWOL or Absent Without Official Leave.
It said 38 were dismissed for drug-related offenses, 18 for robbery/extortion, and 15 for carnapping.
The rest were dismissed for administrative cases related to homicide, murder, rape, and graft/malversation.
Marbil was supposed to retire from the service last February upon reaching the retirement age of 56. President Marcos Jr. extended his term by four months.
Marbil reiterated the PNP’s commitment to rid the police force of erring policemen.
“Our mission is to serve and protect the public, not to instill fear or abuse power. Any police officer found guilty of misconduct or illegal activities has no place in the PNP,” said Marbil.
The PNP chief emphasized the importance of accountability in the 228,000-strong PNP.
“The Filipino people deserve a trustworthy and professional police organization. Every action we take in upholding discipline is a step toward earning and maintaining their trust,” said Marbil.
“Those who do not adhere to our core values will be removed from service,” he added.
The PNP Public Information Office (PIO), in a statement, said the dismissed policemen were part of the 2,598 PNP personnel dismissed from January 1 2002 to February 12 this year for various offenses.
The PIO said disciplinary actions against policemen “undergo due process, fair investigations, and administrative review.
“While individual cases are not publicized in the media, internal monitoring and strict enforcement of policies remain a priority to uphold the credibility of the institution,” the PIO said.
It said the PNP continues to conduct ethics training, internal audits, and performance monitoring “to ensure that only competent and trustworthy officers serve the Filipino people.”
