Higher pay means bad news for unfaithful cops

MANILA, Philippines — The number of complaints against unfaithful husbands in the police force has surged by 40 percent since President Duterte doubled their salaries, officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

The complaints are from estranged spouses and mistresses of police officers, who wanted them to provide financial support to their children.

Data from the PNP Women and Children and Protection Center (WCPC) showed there were 301 complaints of economic abuse against policemen in 2018, the same year police officers received a significant pay hike from the Duterte administration.

It is higher by 40 percent compared to 215 cases in 2017. As of last July 7, there were a total of 36 cases.

Brig. Gen. Gerry Galvan, who heads the inspection and audit division of the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS), said they noticed a significant increase in the number of women seeking financial support from policemen.

“We received more complaints when their salaries were increased,” Galvan confirmed in Filipino in an interview over dzBB.

The police official said they documented more than 100 complaints against policemen for lack or insufficient financial support since Duterte increased their salaries last year.

A patrolman who used to earn P14,834 a month before Duterte came into power now gets a monthly salary of P29,668.

As the IAS is swamped with cases against erring police officers, complaints for violating Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence against Women and Children law are handled by the police Women and Children Protection Center.

“We refer the complaints to them,” Galvan said.

WCPC director Brig. Gen. William Macavinta shared Galvan’s assessment, saying more cases of economic abuse are being lodged at his office.

“(The surge) is expected because the basis here is the capability to earn of an individual,” Macavinta said in a phone interview.

He also said there are police officers still giving the same amount in financial assistance even if their salaries have doubled.

The complainants are not just estranged wives but also mistresses who felt they are being shortchanged.

The cases could have been avoided if the police officers took care of their children, including those born out of wedlock.

“You need to take care of your family,” Macavinta told the police officers.