Policemen caught drinking in public would face outright dismissal from the service, President Duterte warned last Thursday.
The President said he could easily recruit new policemen to replace dismissed cops who defy his order against drinking in public places.
“No drinking for police in public. That’s an order. You violate it, I will dismiss you. Hindi lang suspend. I’ll dismiss you,” he said during the proclamation rally of the administration party’s senatorial ticket in Bulacan.
In prohibiting cops from drinking liquor in public, Duterte explained that he wanted to avoid incidents where unformed personnel get into a drunken fight and put lives in danger.
If the cops wanted to enjoy a drinking session, they better go home instead, according to the President.
“Minsan Army, pulis, mag-abot diyan sa sing-along, karaokehan. Kapag maabutan nila ang Army nagkakanta ayaw nang bitawan, ‘My Way…’ Tapos ito namang mga buang na pulis suplado. ‘Hoy, t*** i** mo kayabang mo diyan.’ Maya-maya barilan na,” he added. “Kaya kayo mag-inuman doon, uwi kayo sa bahay ninyo,” he said.
Duterte insisted that he would not tolerate erring cops and instead offer their jobs to other Filipinos looking for employment.
“Sobra-sobra ang Pilipino. Marami diyan naghihintay lang ng opportunity. Huwag mo akong patiisin sa iyo. L****. Bakit ako magtiis? Eh ‘di maghahanap ako,” he said.
Last January, the President announced that policemen and soldiers were no longer allowed to drink in public to curb drunken and violent behavior.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año later cautioned that cops seen drinking in bars and other public places could face administrative raps such as dereliction of duty, insubordination, and gross neglect of duty. (Genalyn Kabiling)