Albayalde wants ‘pasaway’ cops who bashed him online identified

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Monday said policemen who are bashing him online can be administratively charged for insubordination.

Albayalde said he had ordered the PNP's Directorate for Information and Communications Technology Management (DICTM) to identify these policemen he branded as "pasaway."

"I want them to be identified and I'll make them report in my office personally," Albayalde said in a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

The PNP chief said he was referring to comments he saw on the Facebook page Buhay Lespu, where information and comments about the police are posted.

Browsing through the page, Albayalde received several praises and positive messages before and after his assumption as the 22nd chief of the PNP.

Albayalde, however, was bashed on Buhay Lespu's video post on February 9 where the then National Capital Region Police Office chief was scolding a member of the Eastern Police District for failing to immediately respond to an incident.

The new top cop said that such criticisms to a senior officer should be brought up to the grievance committee of the PNP instead of being posted on social media.

"They can be charged for insubordination, that's one, yung mga ganon, that is tantamount to insubordination," he said.

"I will not take that against them naman, sabi ko nga wala akong problema kung may galit sa akin pero sabi ko there is always a way para sabihin mo kung ano ang ayaw mo through our grievance committee not yung patago, not yung paganon na yung ginaganon mo yung mga officers mo, you are in an organization, you have to respect your organization," he added.

While he does not see his remark as going against the freedom of expression, Albayalde said that being in the uniformed service entails following rules and regulations.

"Now if they want to say anything without following our rules and regulations, policies of our organization, they can always get out of the organization and leave the organization, ganon lang 'yon," he said.

Albayalde was installed as the 22nd PNP chief on April 19, replacing retired Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa. —ALG, GMA News