BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Four police officers in Western Visayas have been dismissed from the service for drug use and grave misconduct, according to regional police spokesman Lt. Col. Joem Malong.
Cpl. Joseph Vergara of the Negros Occidental police tested positive for drug use while Pat. Gregor Catequista, Novie Aron Miranda and Jefferson Moreno were found guilty of grave misconduct after they went absent without official leave for 30 days.
Malong said four other police officers were dismissed, six suspended and one penalized with forfeiture of salary for various offenses.
He said seven others had been cleared of the administrative charges filed against them for lack of merit.
“This is to show them that we are serious in the PNP (Philippine National Police) internal cleansing efforts,” Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas police director, said.