17 axed Manila cops to undergo retraining

MANILA, Philippines — Seventeen members of the Paco police community precinct in Manila, including their commander, will undergo retraining after they were relieved from their posts last week, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) announced yesterday.

Acting NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said he ordered the retraining and reassignment of the police officers to the Manila Police District Personnel Holding and Accounting Section.

The police officers were sacked from their posts on Tuesday after three of their colleagues were arrested for allegedly extorting money from a tricycle operator.

Estomo said the retraining of the police officers is part of his policy in which the “fault of one is the fault of others.”

“You must be your brother’s keeper,” he said.

The Manila policemen will be transferred to the NCRPO’s Regional Community Affairs and Development Division to undergo a 45-day training on reformation and moral enhancement in line with the internal cleansing program of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“To promote the PNP’s desire to reform the organization, the police officers must be investigated,” Estomo said.

“The retraining seeks to infuse discipline, build ethics, evaluate their commitment as well as redirect the police officers to their sworn duties,” he added.

Estomo assured the public that under his watch, the NCRPO will never tolerate officers who commit crimes regardless of their status in the police organization.

Last week, Maj. Jomar Ermino, commander of the Paco police community precinct, and his 16 subordinates were relieved from their posts.

The relief stemmed from the arrest of S/Sgt. Erwin Licuasen, Cpl. Chimber Importa and Pat. Leopoldo Tuason for allegedly extorting P2,000 from the owner of a tricycle, which they impounded for a traffic violation.

The three were nabbed by operatives of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group during an entrapment operation in their office at the corner of Pedro Gil and A. Linao streets in Paco.