Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — There was tension at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig on Monday as policemen reported here ahead of their reassignment to the southern island province of Basilan.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Regional Director P/Dir. Oscar Albayalde scolded a police officer for complaining about his reassignment.
The police officer was one of 73 cops out of the 310 who showed up ahead of their deployment to Basilan on Tuesday.
The reassignment of these policemen follows moves by the Philippine National Police to cleanse its ranks of so-called “scalawags” or corrupt and abusive members, a directive issued by President Rodrigo Duterte last month after it was found that policemen in Pampanga were allegedly responsible for the kidnapping and killing of a South Korean businessman last October.
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But Police S/Insp. Joseph Gordovez from the Malabon City Police District talked to the media to say he doesn’t deserve to join other erring cops who will be sent to Basilan since he has no pending criminal or administrative case.
“Hindi ako pinatawag sa Malacañang, hindi kasama ang pangalan ko. And yet Friday night lumabas yung order, kasama na ako. Hindi ako masamang pulis. Hindi ako scalawag,” Gordovez said.
[Translation: I wasn’t called by Malacañang, my name wasn’t included in the list. And yet, when the order came out on Friday night, my name was there. I am not a bad police officer. I am not a scalawag.]
Albayalde called out Gordovez, saying, “Kung ikaw, you really want your job, you follow rules and regulations of the PNP, you understand?”
Gordovez answered in the affirmative.
Albayalde added, “This is following lawful orders from duly constituted authorities, coming from no less than the President and the Chief PNP…. Not everybody who’s assigned sa Mindanao is a scalawag. It does not follow, gentlemen… You take this as a challenge on your part.”
The 310 police officers being sent to Basilan come from the National Capital Region, Regions II, III, and the Cordillera Administrative Region, and the PNP’s maritime group.
Albayalde expects more policemen to attend the final accounting scheduled at 10:00 p.m. Monday since some were absent due to court duty.
At 3 a.m. Tuesday, a C-130 plane carrying the policemen will leave for Zamboanga. They will then travel by ferry to Basilan.
Albayalde said cops who disobey the order for their reassignment to Basilan will be considered absent without leave and will lose their benefits in the service
War on drugs stalled due to corrupt policemen
Duterte admitted in front of newly-sworn in officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Malacañang that he was running out of options after ranking police officers have been implicated in the kidnap-slay of a Korean businessman in the guise of an anti-drug operation.
PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa initially said that the cops would undergo retraining, but took it back after Duterte thumbed down the idea.
Dela Rosa: No retraining yet for errant cops
On Feb 3, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Regional Director Oscar Albayalde submitted the names of 387 NCRPO personnel to undergo “reformative training.”
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief General Eduardo Año says the deployment of more than 300 rogue cops in Basilan will be of great help to the military in focusing their operations in the hinterlands.
Año: Deployment of rogue cops will help military in fight vs. terror groups
Año says based on his talks with PNP officials, the 300 policemen from Metro Manila will be tasked to ensure safety in town and city centers.
They may also be deployed to man checkpoints.
Año adds the policemen may also be deployed in other focus areas in Mindanao.
CNN Philippines Correspondent Gerg Cahiles an Senior Digital Producer Alex Ho contributed to this report.
