PNP to probe alleged ‘extortion, misbehavior’ of Pasay cops
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar on Saturday ordered an investigation into the alleged extortion and misbehavior of some Pasay City policemen manning a checkpoint along Andrews Avenue.
The PNP chief said he has instructed Major Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr., National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, and Brigadier Gen. Jimili L. Macaraeg, Southern Police District director, to conduct a thorough probe into the complaints hurled against the local policemen by motorists.
“This complaint was forwarded to me and I personally watched the videos that were posted on social media. I have already ordered the Southern Police District, through the Regional Director of the NCRPO to look into this,” said Eleazar.
Some netizens have voiced their sentiments on social media against the alleged extortion of cops against motorists passing in the area. They claimed that cops would flag motorists for allegedly disregarding traffic signs, adding that the police officers will immediately issue violation tickets to the civilians.
A netizen also accused one of the policemen of threatening to put them in jail for disrespecting him.
“Noon pa man, mahigpit ang aking bilin sa ating mga kapulisan na maging maayos ang pakikitungo sa ating mga kababayan kaya hindi katanggap-tanggap ang pagsisiga-sigaan, pambabastos at pananamantala sa ating mga kababayan,” said Eleazar.
“Nais kong malaman ang katotohanan sa sumbong na ito na nakaabot sa atin sa pamamagitan ng Facebook post at tinitiyak ko na hindi ko ito palalampasin kung napatunayang nagkasala ang aming pulis sa insidenteng ito,” he added.
The PNP chief said he will not hesitate to sanction the cops who are abusing their authority and taking advantage of the situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PNP is pushing an Intensified Cleanliness Policy in police ranks which aims to get rid of erring cops from police service.
