PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Guillermo Eleazar has ordered the relief of a precinct commander in General Santos City for allegedly assaulting and beating four non-uniformed police personnel under him.
Eleazar ordered the relief of Captain Nemecio Calipio Jr., chief of police of Precinct 8 in Barangay Tinagacan, after receiving reports that he punched and slapped the four police personnel assigned in his station.
He said the investigation is ongoing.
One of the complainants said that around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, October 31, Calipjo, who was then drunk, arrived at the precinct and ordered them to be in formation.
He said Calipjo was holding an M-16 rifle while castigating and threatening to kill them.
The rifle he was wielding even accidentally went off when he set it down.
Calipjo was allegedly angry at his men for their inaction on the concern brought to them by a resident who was close to him.
“All police commanders should set good leadership examples to their men and what Police Captain Calipjo, based on the initial report I received, was clearly a breach of discipline and violation of PNP rules and regulations,” Eleazar said in a statement on Wednesday, November 3, 2021.
“Hindi ko hahayaan na ganitong uri ng pulis ang mamumuno sa mga komunidad dahil kung hindi niya kayang sundin ang aming patakaran at irespeto ang kanyang kapwa pulis, malamang ay hindi rin niya kayang irespeto ang mga karapatan ng ating mga sibilyang kababayan,” he added.
(I will not allow this kind of policemen to lead in a community because if he cannot follow our rules and respect his fellow policemen, then he may not be able to respect the rights of the civilians.)
Eleazar said Calipjo may face serious sanctions once proven guilty of the complaints against him.
The PNP Internal Affairs Service has started its investigation on the incident. (SunStar Philippines)