THE statement made by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Brigadier General Debold Sinas to media saying that he will not order the immediate relief of policemen caught sleeping on duty is the right move.
It shows that however strict and rigid the Philippine National Police (PNP) system has become, given the recent controversies, it has found itself embroiled still it stands to reason and law that everyone has the right to due process. Our present laws provide that even suspects accused to have committed heinous crimes have the right to be heard and presumed innocent until proven otherwise. General Sinas then is simply reiterating the accepted procedure that an investigation must first be undertaken with respect to the alleged violation of the policeman before he or she can be administratively or criminally charged and suspended or dismissed from office.
Everyone is entitled to their so-called day in court. This is what the Constitution or the basic law of the land provides and no one should be deprived of such basic human right. Even in the case of former PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde, who is accused of being complicit in the "agaw bato" or confiscated drugs for resale snafu and the so-called "ninja cops" that occurred within the PNP organization.
This is not an attempt to defend or downplay the actions of some officers and personnel of the PNP but this is simply to point out that these cops are also individuals who are covered laws of the land and thus enjoy its protection, to a certain extent.
Of course, sleeping on the job is a no-no especially for one, given the task of protecting and lives and property of the people. But nonetheless, being ordinary mortals themselves, these cops equally fall prey to whatever temptations and even vices afflict ordinary people. They are not exempted nor immune from such failings. What is important is that they be given first the opportunity to explain themselves before they are meted with sanctions.
For those cops caught sleeping while on duty, it becomes their burden to prove that there is a justifiable and valid reason why they had to nod off during their tour of duty and subsequently for the investigating office to consider whether the explanation is enough to stay the sanction or if insufficient warrant a suspension or dismissal from service.
The immediate relief of cops found to have slept on duty is too severe a sanction when one considers that policemen are more often than not on 24/7 standby duty in order to maintain peace and order in a community.
What is detestable and has no place in the PNP organization are those cops who report for duty only when it is time to get their salaries or those whose intention in going to duty is to commit illegal acts such as those accused of pilfering seized illegal drugs and re-selling them in the streets. If the cops involved in the agaw bato schemes are proven to be guilty, then they are the justification needed to re-impose the death penalty for those convicted of heinous crimes. Their despicable act of becoming the very people that they are suppose to suppress and apprehend cannot and must not be tolerated. If these cops have become criminals themselves, then they deserve nothing less than the ultimate punishment to serve as a deterrent and place emphasis to the saying that "no one is above the law."