4 cops face ax for NBP smuggling fiasco

MANILA, Philippines — Four policemen who were caught sneaking alcohol and tobacco into the New Bilibid Prison may be dismissed from the police service, an official said yesterday.

The lawmen, all with the rank of corporal, face charges of grave misconduct for smuggling contraband into the prison on Oct. 18, said Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief.

The charges were filed after the Philippine National Police crime laboratory confirmed that the juice bottles confiscated from the policemen contained alcohol, Sinas said.

He explained that the penalty for grave misconduct ranges from two to six months’ suspension without pay to one-rank demotion to dismissal from the service, under the guidelines of the National Police Commission. 

Sinas said there were originally 16 policemen caught with various infractions but two more were added after they were identified as the ones behind the alcohol smuggling attempt.

As for the 14 others caught carrying cell phones, the Anti-Cybercrime Group has yet to forward its findings, he added.

The 18 policemen were disarmed and reassigned to the NCRPO’s Regional Police Holding and Administrative Unit and included in Task Force Linis, which is responsible for cleaning up the Pasig River.