POLICE Regional Office-Regional Internal Affairs Services-Davao Region (PRO-RIAS-Davao) Chief Intelligence and Investigation Division lawyer Jovito Arquita has confirmed that the charges against the 35 police officials who were relieved from their posts on May 23 and 24 this year have been submitted to the Philippine National Police (PNP) central office for summary hearings.
In a radio interview by dxDC-RMN earlier this week, Arquita also confirmed that the hearing, which will be conducted in Camp Crame, Quezon City, is in connection to the “Grave Misconduct” they have allegedly committed following the deaths of seven individuals during anti-illegal drugs operations from March 23 to 26.
It can be noted that the immediate administrative relief of these personnel was based on the recommendation of the RIAS and approved by PRO-Davao former regional director, Brig. Gen Aligre Martinez.
According to Martinez during that time, the move aims for a transparent and balanced investigation of the buy-bust operations.
These personnel include six station commanders, five deputy commanders, 23 Police Non-Commissioned Officers (PNCOs), and Colonel Richard Bad-ang, who served as the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) chief during that time. Bad-ang only served as DCPO chief for only two months before they were reassigned to different positions.
"The PNP leadership, particularly [Davao] Region, remains committed to upholding its mandate. This includes enforcing the law, preventing and controlling crime, maintaining peace and order, and ensuring public safety and internal security – all with the active support of the community," the former PRO-Davao director said.
Months later, three police officials and 12 others, including Martinez, were also relieved from their posts over alleged violations in serving the arrest warrant against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
In July this year, PRO-Davao relieved the commanders of 19 police stations in Davao City and reassigned them to different areas in the region for allegedly manipulating police records to make it appear that the crime rate in the city is low.
The PNP has denied that the recent series of shake-ups in the DCPO were politically motivated.
“But we want to assure everyone that this is far from reality yung nangyayari na sinasabi na dinudugtong po itong nangyayari sa Davao because of the current political issues (But we want to assure everyone that this is far from reality in what is happening that is being connected to events in Davao because of the current political issues),” PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing. DEF