GENERAL SANTOS CITY – At least 104 police personnel in Region 12 are undergoing summary hearings for various administrative violations, an official said on Thursday.
Brig. Gen. Bernard Tambaoan, deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-12 said, hearings are part of the due process by the Philippine National Police under its internal discipline mechanism.
As of Wednesday, he said they already catered to a total of 173 administrative cases but 69 of these were dismissed for lack of merit.
Tambaoan said some of the accused personnel were able to submit substantial evidence that they did not commit the supposed violations and just carried out their assigned tasks.
He did not cite the details of the pending cases but previous records released by the PRO-12 showed that some of the violations involved absences without official leave and related administrative breaches.
The official confirmed that the pending cases include the administrative charges filed against Staff Sgt. Joel Cuyos, who was previously assigned at the Pendatun police station here, was accused of engaging in extra-marital affairs.
“This is part of the continuing internal cleansing program of the PNP,” he told reporters.
Since last year, records show that a total of 11 policemen under PRO-12 were already dismissed from service, and 10 received suspensions after being found guilty of administrative offenses.
These include three policemen previously assigned in the city, Sarangani and South Cotabato who were found guilty early this year of separately engaging in cockfights in 2018 and 2019.
Tambaoan said a police officer and six other non-commissioned officers forfeited a portion of their salaries and allowances as a penalty for “neglect of duty” violation.
“Rest assured that we will not tolerate any wrongdoing by any of our personnel. Violators will be held accountable as provided by the law,” he added. (PNA)
