More than 150 policemen defied President Duterte’s order to have them deployed in Basilan after they did not show up in yesterday’s sendoff at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
Of the more than 200 policemen who were scheduled to be transported using military’s two C130 cargo planes, only 53 of them showed up – the highest rank is a Chief Inspector (Major) while the lowest rank is a Police Officer 1.
The C-130 “Hercules” plane that ferried the cops touched down around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday at the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) in Zamobanga City.
The policemen, including four policewomen, have undergone initial administrative processing before they were transported by a military truck to the Majini Pier of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM).
From there, they boarded a Navy vessel that transported them to Basilan via Isabela City, the province’s capital.
Chief Supt. Theodore Sindac, Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM) director, said they will be assigned alongside with the policemen of Basilan province.
However, Sindac said they will undergo medical test and cultural sensitivity orientation before they will be assigned to different areas of the province.
There are two city and 11 municipal police stations under the Basilan Police Provincial Office (BPPO). Two of the 11 municipalities are island towns.
Sindac said the assignment of the Luzon-based policemen to the province of Basilan “will put to test their bravery and skills.”
“We will utilize them to the best of their ability,” Sindac said.
He said their assignment in Basilan will also “disconnect them from whatever networks or illegal activities they were accused to have committed.”
Meanwhile, Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the leadership of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) initiated an investigation against those who snubbed the Basilan deployment order.
“Based on the statement of the Regional Director NCRPO (Director Oscar Albayalde), additional cases will be filed to those who did not report today and they will face additional administrative charges,” said Carlos.
“First, they will be marked AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave) before they would be charged for defiance of lawful order from the Commander-In-Chief,” he added.
There were 311 policemen who were ordered to be deployed in Basilan by Duterte due to various cases they are facing – from infraction of police regulations to involvement to criminal activities.
The deployment order came several days after some anti-narcotics operatives of the PNP subjected the Philippines into an international embarrassment over the kidnapping of a South Korean executive, who was arrested under the guise of a legitimate anti-drugs operations, and later killed right inside Camp Crame.
Carlos, however, said that 40 of the policemen were excused from deployment after the NCRPO granted their appeal to delay the deployment due to court hearings that they have to attend.
But he was quick to point out that there was no padrino system in the deployment after some policemen claimed that some of those who were originally in the list were not included and was replaced.
“There is no padrino system. There was a process conducted and the review on the cases of others are on-going,” said Carlos.
Part of the process, according to Carlos, was the contention of some of the policemen that their cases which served as the basis for deployment to Basilan had already been dismissed.
The original flight schedule was supposed to be 3 a.m. yesterday but the schedule had to be moved three hours later due to the availability of the C130 plane. (with a report from PNA) (AARON B. RECUENCO)