Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año warned all police officers on Monday to straighten out and perform dutifully their assigned tasks during their working hours to avoid being penalized.
Calling it as a serious “breach of discipline’’, Año deplored the insubordination acts of Police Col. Dennis Artil, Police Lt. Col. Richard Bad-ang, and Police Lt. Col. Glenn Mayam who were caught playing golf while on duty.
He said the actions of the three police officers run contrary to the internal cleansing campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) which cannot be tolerated.
Banning police officers to play golf during weekdays was one of the first standing directives released by then PNP officer-in-charge (OIC) and now newly-appointed PNP Chief Archie Francisco Gamboa last October 2019.
Año noted what made matters worse is that “It was made clear by PNP Chief Gamboa that they are prohibited to play golf during weekends.
But instead of following the lawful order, Año said the three did the complete opposite stressing they will not get off the hook and will be punished appropriately.
According to official reports, the three Central Visayas cops were caught red-handed while playing golf during office hours, one of the several times that they were missing in action.
“Ayon sa mga report, hindi ito ang unang beses na nag-golf sila sa oras ng trabaho. Iimbestgahan namin ito (Based on reports this is not the first time they were caught playing golf while on duty. We will have them investigated). They will be held accountable for their actions,” Año assured.
Expressing deep frustration and calling them shameless, Año castigated them for having fun and playing golf while their colleagues were very busy doing volunteer work for the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption in Batangas.
The police officers were the three golf-playing cops were assigned are still in the “crisis-ridden CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) area helping out the grief-stricken Taal Volcano eruption victims.
The DILG chief said “that the sacking of the three police officers is a proof that the PNP is serious in its internal cleansing efforts’’.
He maintained that there is no one exempted even high ranking police officers from PNP regulations “pointing out that there are always newbies that can be hired and trained to be better cops’’.
Año reminded the police officers to perform their duties well especially after President Duterte ensured that their salaries and benefits are augmented.
“They should repay that by doing their job diligently for the service of the Filipinos sapagkat hindi naman sila napasok sa PNP para maglaro at magpasasa. Better pay grade means providing better service,” he added.
Año commended Gamboa of sacking the golf-playing police officers as the three cops are now under investigation for grave misconduct. (Chito A. Chavez)
