Sunday, July 15, 2007 'Lady cop' in hot water over 'indecent' picture on Internet
FOR posting a picture of herself wearing only a bra in her Friendster account, a policewoman could face penalties, after a woman from Cainta, Rizal reported her to the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Napolcom officials did not identify the nude woman on the Internet but confirmed she is a PNP member assigned at the office of PNP Chief Oscar Calderon.
Napolcom Inspection, Monitoring and Investigation Service head Eduardo Castro said the police officer took a leave of absence.
"We will summon her and require her to explain," he said, adding that the policewoman could face charges of conduct unbecoming an officer and grave misconduct, for which the maximum penalty is dismissal from the service.
On June 20, a woman named Corazon Santos sent an email to police authorities to report an "indecent" photo of the officer, whose user name was "Queen Rubie."
"This is Corazon Santos of Cainta Rizal, mother of two kids. This is to report what I saw on the Internet on Monday (June 18, 2007), particularly in Friendster which really caught my attention as a parent and civilian," she said.
"My nine-year-old son was searching for his cousins in Friendster when he typed the name and suddenly an indecent photo (showing off her breasts) appeared, which I hurriedly closed the website and blocked it in order not to open that site again by my kids," she said.
The picture showed the policewoman's breasts in a bra. Her photo gallery also showed her other pictures, in some of which she was wearing her uniform.
The complainant said the picture was even accompanied with a caption "mei ipagmamalaki ba?".
The woman in the picture is allegedly a graduate of Misamis University 1999, according to her Friendster profile.
Santos said she thought about reporting the "abuse" to Friendster itself until she saw that the woman was a police officer.
"I know that this is beyond your control already but she is carrying the name of your organization, the Philippine National Police. She, as a police officer, must be responsible for her actions. I believe that every policeman and policewoman must possess honor and dignity," she said.
"We look up to you as a leader, so please show us civilians that you are really with pride, honor, dignity and deserve to gain respect in our society," Santos added in her email addressed to police authorities. (AH/Sunnex)
