Bam Aquino echoes DND chief, ARMM exec: Delinquent cops should be sacked, not sent to Mindanao

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV on Friday said the Philippine National Police (PNP) should fire delinquent police officers, instead of sending them to Mindanao, following the transfer of two erring Mandaluyong cops to strife-torn Marawi City.

Aquino made the statement after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana opposed the PNP leadership’s move, saying the two “scalawags” would only be a burden to their commanders.

“Filipinos deserve an upstanding police force. Delinquent cops should be fired, not just reassigned and sent to Mindanao,” Aquino said.

“Napakahalaga na may tiwala ang tao sa pulis, lalong lalo na sa Mindanao kung saan may Martial Law at banta ng terorismo. We should send our best and brightest, not those who abuse their power,” he added.

The transfer also did not sit well with Lanao del Sur assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong. "Hindi po tayo dito basurahan para sa mga abosado at tiwaling pulis ng Metro Manila," Adiong had earlier tweeted.

The two controversial policemen — PO1 Jose Julius Tandog and PO1 Chito Enriquez — arrived in Marawi City on Wednesday, days after a video circulated on the internet showing them hitting curfew violators apprehended in Mandaluyong City with a yantok stick and pointing their guns at them.

PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who ordered the transfer, thinks the two cops will turn into the “best” police officers after their stint in Marawi.

Aquino, however, said that letting the two Mandaluyong cops remain with the police force would only become a burden to those who are doing their jobs properly.

“Ang mga pulis na nang-aagrabyado ng taumbayan at gumagawa ng katiwalian ay dapat managot at matanggal sa puwesto. Marami sa mga pulis na nagtatrabaho nang maayos ang nadadamay sa kanilang ginagawang kapalpakan,” he said.

In defense of PNP move

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, for his part, saw nothing wrong with the transfer of the two policemen, as long as administrative and criminal charges are filed against them.

“For as long as administrative and criminal cases are filed against the erring cops, I don’t see anything wrong with assigning such cops to ‘difficult posts’ while awaiting their suspension or dismissal from the service,” he said.

“I don’t think they will dare bring with them their bad habits and may even learn a lesson or two from their exposure in such difficult assignments,” Escudero added.

Senator Gringo Honasan, a former military official, also defended the PNP’s decision.

“What the chief PNP does to scalawags is a purely administrative and procedural matter that is governed by the law, and PNP rules and regulations,” he said. — MDM, GMA News