Not all Caloocan cops 'rotten', new police chief says

MANILA, Philippines — As the entire Caloocan City Police Station undergoes a shake-up, Senior Superintendent Jemar Modequillo said that members of the local police force are cooperating with efforts to reform their ranks.

"Ang ibig natin sabihin, sabi nga natin it’s not all naman na bulok... Meron tayong lumalabas na black sheep talaga," Modequillo said in an interview with CNN Philippines Monday.

Last week, Director Oscar Albayalde, National Capital Regional Office chief, ordered the relief of all police officers in Caloocan City.

Only Modequillo and his deputy for administration, Chief Inspector Ilustre Mendoza, were retained.

About 1,200 personnel of the Caloocan Police will undergo retraining and reorientation for 45 days after the killings of teenagers and a break-in and robbery by city cops.

READ: NCRPO relieves Caloocan City police force

Only 182 cops left in Caloocan

Modequillo admitted that the relief of the entire police force is challenging as the Caloocan police now only have some 182 personnel.

He said that there were plans and programs to rehabilitate the city police force.

"But we cannot actually start because of the changing of guards kasi ang sabi ,although accordingly, the word of our [regional director] is not to change immediately but gradual," Modequillo said, referring to the station-by-station relief of the city's police.

Last month, the Caloocan police received an award for being the Best City Police Station in NCR on the same week teenagers Kian delos Santos and Carl Angelo Arnaiz were killed.

Modequillo noted that the basis of the award was the accomplishments of the Caloocan police from January to December 2016 only.

"These people are the same people from 2016... kaya nga ang desisyon ng ating regional director is retraining para ire-refresh na nga sa kanila 'yung mga bagay-bagay na nakalimutan na nila," he said.