Trouble in the PNP

While the Philippine National Police has been busy maintaining peace and order at the various protest marches in Metro Manila, the current leadership seems to have partially lost control internally.

- CITO BELTRAN

While netizens continue to complain and criticize the PNP for the continuing use of wang-wangs / sirens and police blinkers as well as the insulting practice of providing motorcycle escorts to civilian vehicles, the PNP has recently been black marked by cops accused of committing crimes or serious abuse.

In recent police reports, the Bacoor Police filed charges against 14 members of the Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) Special Operations Unit in Calabarzon for the rape and robbery of a grade nine student.

The girl, who was visiting her boyfriend, got caught in the middle of a drug raid that targeted the boyfriend. Failing to get the boyfriend, the allegation is that she was then targeted, raped and robbed. That is clearly a case of “bantay-salakay.”

In the same month, nine Navotas policemen have been relieved over allegations that they tortured two murder suspects to force a confession. While the criminal charges against the Navotas cops and the CALABARZON operatives have yet to be proven, it is very alarming that such things even happen.

I can’t remember if it was in the Philippines or in the US, but it has been proposed that if a law enforcer is proven guilty of forcing a confession or using false testimony, the officer involved would be given the same prison sentence for the crime originally being tried.

Netizens have been sharing videos of thieves on C5 who spot cars driving by, open unlocked doors, then “grab and snatch” bags, phones or packages.