PNP: 674 cops charged for rights violations since Duterte came to power

Over 600 police personnel have been charged for their supposed violation of human rights since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office almost two years ago, Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said on Wednesday.

Citing PNP data from July 2016 to May 2018, Albayalde said 674 cops have been charged for rights violations before the Internal Affairs Service and the Discipline, Law and Order Division of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management.

Albayalde said that 19 had already been dismissed from service while the rest were "meted penalties ranging from demotion to suspension."

Two Police Superintendents and 31 Police Chief Inspectors were the highest ranking officials among those charged. Meanwhile, most of the charged personnel were those with the rank of Police Officer 1 (238).

The Police Regional Office 4A in Calabarzon had the highest number of cops charged for human rights violations with 279, followed by the National Capital Region Police Office with 90, PNP National Headquarters with 39 and Police Regional Office 8 in Eastern Visayas with 37 police personnel.

Albayalde said most of the cases stemmed from "homicide, illegal arrest with grave threats, violation of POP (Police Operational Procedures), violation of Anti-Torture Act, maltreatment and abuse of detained person."

He added that charging the said policemen were part of their "serious effort in manifesting human rights in police operations." —NB, GMA News