MATALAM, North Cotabato (MindaNews / January 11) — At the time of this posting, more than 500 senior Philippine National Police officers heeded Minister Benjamin Abalos of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)’s call to tender their resignations as a courtesy. According to Abalos, this was the shortest way to rid the PNP of so-called “ninja cops,” or rogue police officers who either act as protectors of the illicit drug trade or are directly involved in selling the illicit drugs.
Why is this done? To get rid of “Scalawags in uniform” who, according to Abalos, have been plaguing the police organization for quite some time. When asked by journalists whether the suspected involvement in the illegal drug business was known, the DILG boss said yes. He further admitted that just over 10 senior PNP officers are suspected of being involved. Most of them act as “protectors” of the illegal drug trade.
If indeed they are known, why can’t the investigation and subsequent indictments focus specifically on these PNP officials? Abalos says such a move may not yield immediate results given the country’s painfully slow judiciary. In addition, there is the presumption of innocence of the accused until proven beyond a reasonable doubt as to his guilt and other legal remedies available to the accused. The entire process can take years, which according to Abalos for “technical reasons” can ultimately only lead to an acquittal.
Does it bode well that none other than the head of the DILG can’t seem to trust our justice system? It leaves a bad taste in the mouth, to say the least.
Requiring all senior PNP officers, from the rank of colonel to general, to resign out of courtesy is rather a very drastic move. It put the entire police organization in a bad light. It’s like burning down the whole house to get rid of the termites.
Despite this move, a slew of skeptics have come to the fore and have expressed doubts about the effectiveness of this approach in purging the Philippine National Police hierarchy. Regardless of whether you see it one way or the other, this amounts to a full-scale accusation by senior PNP officials.
What about the non-commissioned officers and rank and file policemen, who we can safely assume outnumber the high-ranking officers who are also involved in the illegal drug business by a multiple? How does the good secretary intend to get rid of her? Are you next? Or is it assumed that once the senior officers are out, those rogue cops down there will just quit?
Abalos admitted that the lure of “drug money” is very tempting and more often irresistible. We see a seemingly confused DILG secretary determined to try a drastic formula to purge the PNP, yet on the other hand admits that “drug money” is the real turning point here.
How does this work? A “Committee of Five” will be formed to review/evaluate the status of each resigning PNP official and make recommendations to the President through the DILG Secretary. This will be followed by lifestyle checks for those who responded to the call to resign as a courtesy, according to PNP boss Azurin. The President will then act to accept or reject the “courtesy resignations” as the case may be.
What happens to those whose resignation is accepted by the president was not clear to the DILG boss. All we know is that those whose resignations are accepted will no longer fulfill their duties and will be completely separated from the police organization.
The normal thing that would follow would be a full investigation into those whose resignations were accepted by the President. What will they do with those who are prosecuted? Or those whose guilt is strong? Abalos will have no choice but to press charges in court, which he avoided from the start.
What will “resignations” do when the courts are the last and final determination of it all? Well, the immediate separation from service of those whose resignation is accepted is established through this process. Can’t the DILG restrict the freedom of movement of the more than 10 suspected high-ranking officers on active duty? Of course, it can be done through administrative procedures and other preventive measures.
What else is achieved by a “polite notice”? It can still claim the “gang of more than 10” for their severance pay if they are not dishonorably discharged from service.
Weird, is not it?
Until then we keep our fingers crossed.
(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Maugan P. Mosaid has a PhD in Rural Development. He is a planning consultant and teaches statistics and research methods in graduate school. He can be contacted at mauganmosaid6@gmail.com.)
