NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Director Guillermo Eleazar said Friday, November 23, that they are yet to monitor any police personnel involving themselves in activities in casinos as warned by President Rodrigo Duterte on November 22.
"Being the regional director of the NCRPO, wala po akong recently na na-monitor... dahil madami pong nag-react diyan dahil 'yung dating guidelines na 'yan, sinusunod natin 'yan. At sa ngayon, wala po akong namo-monitor na pulis na involved sa ganoon (We have not monitored any policeman involved in such activities)," Eleazar said.
"I can only assume po kasi na ang ating Presidente, siyempre po 'yung access ng impormasyon sa kaniya, wala kami eh meron siya... kaya possibly po na mga dating insidente," he added.
(The President has access to every information, but it's also possible that those were prior incidents.)
On Thursday, November 22, during his speech at the inauguration of the Cavite Gateway Terminal in Tanza, Cavite, Duterte vowed the dismissal from the service of police personnel who will be caught inside casinos, particularly at the Okada Manila in Paranaque City.
“I’d like to announce, lahat kayong mga pulis, umalis kayo diyan (sa Okada Manila). It’s crawling with usurers, kidnappers. So ako ang magdaan diyan, ‘pag nakita ko kayo, sagasaan ko kayo. Better go away, lahat ng law enforcement... I do not want even a police car there," he said.
"If you violate my order, I will dismiss you from the service. That’s an order because you are there to commit a crime. You are not assigned there. Or I will assign the Army to patrol. Which do you want? Magbarilan kayo o sumunod kayo?" he added.
He said if the police will not heed to his order, he will order the military, particularly the scout rangers, to take over and conduct patrolling in the area to ensure that no single policemen will get inside or get near the said casino.
However, Eleazar said such order is no new to them.
"Dati naman po talagang may direktiba na ang ating Pangulong Duterte at atin pong chief PNP (Philippine National Police) kahit noong si General (Ronald) Dela Rosa pa, talaga pong bawal," he said.
(The President and even the chief PNP already have that directive. Getting inside those casinos is really prohibited for policemen.)
"Actually hindi lang pulis (pati) mga government officials na nasa casino. Pero ngayon ito mismong hotel, eh ganon na po, di na rin pwedeng mag-istambay diyan unless mayroon pong official business," he added.
(Even government officials are prohibited from going inside the casino or staying there, unless there is an official business.)
Eleazar assured that intelligence gathering against policemen who might violate such order is ongoing.
Duterte also said that despite doubling the salaries of policemen and giving them all the support they need, there are still some who are involved in illegal activities.
In response, Eleazar ensured that operations to weed out the PNP from erring cops is on 24/7.
"Hindi naman po natin ikinakaila na sa ating organisasyon, may mga bugok at abusado kaya nga po 'yung ating internal cleansing eh talagang hindi tayo mapapagod diyan," he said.
(We cannot deny the fact that there are erring cops, that's why we will never stop our internal cleansing.)
Earlier, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said that since July 2016, a total of 7,431 police personnel have been meted disciplinary penalties due to several administrative offenses amid the PNP’s intensified internal cleansing.
Of which, 2,169 personnel were dismissed from service, 4,133 were suspended, 436 were demoted, 464 were reprimanded, 30 were restricted to quarters, 48 were meted with withheld privileges, and 151 had their salaries forfeited.
Albayalde said the internal cleansing will remain “relentless and chilling.” (SunStar Philippines)