1,971 cops with kin running in May polls relieved — Carlos
A TOTAL of 1,971 police commissioned and non-commissioned officers assigned in areas where their relatives up to the 4th degree of consanguinity are running in the May 9 local elections have been administratively relieved from their post, Philippine National Police chief General Dionardo B. Carlos on Monday said.
The move is aimed at ensuring that the PNP will remain apolitical during the forthcoming national and local elections.
As of Monday, Gen. Carlos said that three more police officers have been added to the previous list of 1,968 bringing to 1,971 the total number of PNP officers who have been relieved from their posts where their politician-relatives are seeking elective posts or running for re-election this May.
The top cop said that the three are assigned in Southern Mindanao and he has ordered Police Regional Office 11 director, Brigadier Gen. Benjamin H. Silo Jr. to investigate the immediate superiors of the three who failed to comply with the Camp Crame directive issued late last year.
The PNP Command Memorandum Circular 03-2022 Revised Guidelines and Procedures in Securing the Conduct of the 2022 National and Local Elections emphasized that police officers in areas where their relatives within the 4th degree of consanguinity/affinity are running in the May elections must be reassigned.
The 1,971 have been assigned to areas where they have no relatives running in the May elections.
Another 147 PNP field commanders who have served for more than 1-year have also been relieved and transferred to different police posts.
Gen. Carlos said the move is part of their commitment to remain non-partisan and ensure that they will be able to protect the will of the people through an honest, orderly and peaceful May 9 polls.
He explained that the limited reshuffle policy is an administrative measure to help ensure impartiality among police personnel especially in areas where they have relatives who are vying for elective posts.
The policy has been applied to a number of provincial directors, city directors, mobile force commanders, and chiefs of police who have been in their positions for more than a year.
