SOME 1,400 policemen have been charged administratively as of August this year for various offenses, the PNP said yesterday.
Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, chief of the PNP’s Public Information Office, said the number is about 1,000 lower compared to the same period last year.
“Last year, we have 2,400 policemen who were charged with administrative cases due to offenses or lapses in the performance of their duties. This year, we recorded 1,400 only,” said Maranan.
Maranan said it was just unfortunate that two controversial cases involving policemen were recorded over the past weeks.
One of these cases involved 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar who was shot dead by Navotas City policemen on August 2 after he was mistaken for a suspect in a shooting incident.
The six policemen directly involved in the incident are now facing a criminal case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. They are also facing administrative charges, along with dozens of other policemen.
Also on August 2, Cavite policemen looted the residence of a suspected drug dealer in Imus, Cavite. Robbery charges were filed against nine policemen, who were also charged administratively.
“We want to look at it at in a positive manner. There is reduction in the number of policemen who committed wrongdoings, whether intentional or unintentional,” said Maranan.
“It’s just that over the past weeks, there were two incidents (of abuses) that were highlighted. But if you are going to look at statistics, there is a big decrease in the number of policemen charged (administratively),” he said.
Maranan attributed the decrease to intensified training and education of policemen to instill discipline among the members of the 228,000-strong police force.
“These include seminars on human rights and moral values. Those are continuing, we are not abandoning these. In fact, we are intensifying these (programs),” he said.
While pursuing these programs, Maranan said, the police establishment has been also enhancing its disciplinary mechanisms for personnel.
Also, he said, they are reviewing police operational procedures “because it needs to be updated.” The review was ordered by Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr after the killing of Baltazar which he said was an isolated but infuriating case.
