Eighteen police officers in Metro Manila are facing administrative charges for neglecting their posts and using their mobile phones for unimportant activities while on duty, according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
NCRPO Regional Director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin made the announcement during a press briefing in Makati City on Wednesday, May 28. The action is part of a region-wide internal audit or “red teaming” effort aimed at weeding out negligence in the ranks.
“We’ve tasked all districts to create red teams,” Aberin said, referring to surprise inspections designed to assess readiness and spot lapses among personnel.
Ten of the 18 officers were caught leaving their police assistance desks unattended during a surprise inspection earlier this May. They are among the 28 initially investigated for similar violations.
Aberin said the Philippine National Police is now awaiting clearance from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to issue relief orders, as transfers are restricted during the election period, which ends on June 11 under Comelec Resolution No. 11059.
The other eight officers, ranked corporal and patrolman, will be charged for using their phones while on patrol, a violation of operational protocols.
Meanwhile, 18 of the 28 officers initially probed were cleared after justifying that they were away from their posts to respond to active police operations.
Aberin did not disclose the specific stations or areas where the violators were assigned.
