Napolcom chief warns extortionist cops of dismissal

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) on Wednesday served warning to the police force to end all forms of extortion, stressing that any police officer found collecting "kotong" or protection money will be dismissed from service.

"Itigil n'yo na ang kotong mula sa araw na ito. Hindi dapat nangongotong ang pulis sa inyo, at hindi rin dapat kayo nagbibigay ng protection money. Ihinto po natin 'yan. Bawal po 'yan," NAPOLCOM Commissioner Rafael Vicente Calinisan said.

(Stop paying and collecting extortion money starting today. Police officers must not extort money from you, and you should not be giving protection money either. Let's put an end to this. It is illegal.)

The sweeping directive came as members of the Manibela transport group and the family of a slain public utility jeepney (PUJ) driver filed a formal complaint before Napolcom against Police Executive Master Sergeant Edwin Figueroa.

The complaint alleges that the officer masterminded the killing of the driver after the latter refused to pay illegal collections, or "butaw."

The Napolcom chief vowed to pursue the case and impose the highest administrative sanctions on any police officer found liable.

He directed the Commission's Inspection, Monitoring, and Investigation Service (IMIS) to fast-track its investigation and assured the complainants that the case would be resolved within 60 days, in line with the agency's policy on the speedy disposition of administrative cases.

"We will not let go of this case. Napolcom ang hahawak nitong kasong ito. Walang aregluhan, pasensyahan tayo rito," he stated.

(Napolcom will handle this case. There will be no deals, no special treatment in this case.)

He said the investigation forms part of Napolcom's broader campaign to rid the police force of corrupt personnel.

"Lahat ng tumatanggap ng kotong sa jeepney drivers, kapag nalaman namin, tatanggalin namin sila sa serbisyo. In the same way na inuubos natin ang lahat ng tiwaling pulis," he said.

(Any police officer found extorting money from jeepney drivers will be dismissed from the service. We are doing the same to all corrupt police officers.)

Calinisan further emphasized that this specific crackdown is part of a relentless effort to cleanse the entire police organization.

He urged not just transport workers, but all victims of police extortion, to report abusive officers directly to Napolcom, the National Capital Region Police Office, or their nearest police station.—LDF, GMA News