ABOUT 211 policemen were penalized for non-appearance in court hearings in cases that were filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) against arrested suspects in various police operations across the country.
This was declared by the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), in a report to PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar.
The DIDM said the penalties range from Reprimand to Dismissal From The Service.
The DIDM report was in compliance to PGen. Eleazar’s order to account for all PNP personnel who are either deliberately snubbing court hearings to testify or those who neglect to perform their duty of testifying in court against criminal suspects that they have arrested.
Of the 211 policemen penalized, 83 were dismissed from the service; 31 were demoted, 92 were suspended, while five were reprimanded. The period covers January 2020 to June 3, 2021.
The DIDM also reported that of the 83 policemen dismissed from the service, 10 of them were related to illegal drugs cases filed by the PNP.
“Ang aming mandato bilang mga pulis ay hindi nagtatapos sa pag-aresto ng mga nagkasala sa batas. Kasama po sa tungkulin ng ating kapulisan ang pag-attend sa mga pagdinig ng kaso lalo na kung sila ay pinatawag ng korte o sila mismo ang arresting officer,” said PGen Eleazar.
“Effective law enforcement demands that criminal elements are not only arrested but are also punished through conviction. So policemen who can’t justify why they failed to appear in court to testify will definitely face administrative cases,” he added.
PGen Eleazar said the imposition of penalties against the policemen who failed to attend court hearings only proved that mechanisms are in place in the PNP to hold accountable those who would fail to exercise their duty as police officers.
Based on the DIDM data, there are still 1,428 pending administrative cases being resolved for non-appearance in both drug and non-drug related cases.
PGen. Eleazar also ordered the DIDM to submit a report detailing the reasons why police personnel fail to appear in court hearings.
“Pag-aaralan at hahanapan natin ng paraan kung paano tiyakin ang pagharap sa korte ng ating kapulisan bilang mga testigo sa lahat ng kaso na aming isinasampa sa korte. Mahalaga ang papel na kanilang gagampanan para siguraduhin na mahatulan ng pagkakakulong ang ating mga nahuhuling lumalabag sa batas,” PGen Eleazar said.
He added, “Mababalewala lang ang ating panghuhuli dahil kung hindi natin titiyakin na sila ay mananagot sa batas, makababalik lang sila sa ating mga komunidad upang magbenta ulit ng droga at perwisyuhin ang ating mga kababayan.”