TWENTY police officers in five police stations are in trouble.
Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Senior Supt. Royina Garma was conducting surprise inspections when she caught them playing Game of Thrones or billiards on their cellular phones. She also caught some sleeping, while she found others weren’t wearing the right uniform.
“Maling bihis. Some are performing na walang sombrero. Hindi naka-tuck properly yung uniform. Marumi. ‘Yong iba, natutulog talaga. ‘Yong iba naglalaro ng cellular phones, billiards sa phone at nagbabasa sa newspapers,” Garma said.
The erring police officers were assigned in the police stations in Abellana, Carbon, Guadalupe, Mabolo and Parian.
However, Garma also chanced upon police officers who were doing a great job, and she praised them for this.
Not only were they diligent in conducting their duties, she said, they were also alert for any untoward incident.
Last Tuesday, Nov. 20, Garma ordered all 20 of them to explain why they were remiss in their duties.
She also recommended filing a pre-charge examination against 10 of them. Included in the investigation are the police chiefs of the five stations, who will be facing a case of neglect of duty.
The 20 police officers might be relieved depending on the result of the investigation.
Garma recently recommended the suspension of three police officers who failed to show up for an inspection of the Internal Affairs Service 7.
Garma has been running a tight ship since she took over the reins of the CCPO, which has resulted in the crime volume dropping this year.
She has ordered police units to increase police visibility on the streets as a deterrence to crime.
Garma has been going around the city every night to check if patrol cars are parked in corners with their blinkers on.
When Police Regional Office 7 Director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas found out about Garma’s directive, he ordered all city and provincial offices in Central Visayas to follow her lead.
He also said if the 20 police officers in Cebu City are found guilty, they may lose benefits like their bonuses next year, among others.
Sinas said the police organization has been strict in disciplining its men and women.
“Bisag usa ka adlaw nga suspension or bisag reprimand lang, automatic nana wala silay madawat tanang benefits (Even if a police officer is suspended for a day or even if the officer receives a reprimand, the officer will automatically lose all benefits),” he said.
He said the 20 police officers will also undergo a moral recovery program for 45 days. From AYB of Superbalita Cebu