THE chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has vowed to dismiss from the service some 177 policemen who were charged in drug-related cases last year as reported by Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. last Wednesday.
NCRPO Director Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. assured the public that the NCRPO is “taking all necessary steps to address the involvement of police officers” in illegal drugs.
During a traditional New Year’s call at Camp Crame last Wednesday, Abalos reported the PNP’s gains in the fight against illegal drugs, which he said netted P10.41 worth of illegal drugs last year. He said 7,968 barangays were cleared of illegal drugs and 56,495 suspects were arrested in more than 44,000 operations.
Abalos also reported the cleansing within the PNP’s ranks, which he said led to the dismissal of 76 policemen and nearly 200 others were either demoted, suspended or reprimanded.
Abalos disclosed that 177 policemen were also slapped with drug-related offenses last year in Metro Manila alone, 59 of them figuring in the controversial seizure of 990 kilos of shabu in October 2022 at a money-lending firm owned by police M/Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo.
“This is a major step in our ongoing effort to rid the Philippine National Police, particularly the NCRPO of corrupt and criminal elements,” said Nartatez, referring to the charges filed against the 177 policemen.
“We guarantee that these police officers are held accountable for their actions, dismissed from the service, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Nartatez added.
Nartatez said the 177 policemen have “betrayed the public trust and undermined the integrity of the PNP.
“We will not tolerate this type of behavior within the ranks of the PNP. We are committed to cleaning up the police force and restoring the public’s trust in our law enforcement officers,” he said.
Nartatez said the NCRPO is taking steps “to prevent this from happening in the future.
“We know that we have a lot of work to do to rebuild trust in our community, but we are committed to doing what it takes to gain the public’s confidence and to make our communities safer,” said Nartatez.