From the Manila Bulletin: Sen. Lacson commended the PNP leadership for its action against ‘kotong cops,’ and urged it to sustain its internal cleansing. 

Lacson commends PNP leadership for action on ‘kotong’ policemen

Published May 5, 2018, 4:13 PM
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola

Senator Panfilo Lacson has lauded the officials of Philippine National Police (PNP) over the relief of a police unit which figured in alleged extortion.

“Kudos to the PNP leadership. Taking ‘kotong’ (extort) cops off the streets is a good start,” Lacson said on Twitter Saturday morning.

The former PNP chief made the statement after PNP Director-General Oscar Albayalde on Friday ordered the relief of the entire Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) of the Quezon City Police District’s Galas Police Station (PS-11) following complaints that its personnel had extorted from two men whom they arrested for supposedly violating the election gun ban.

Lacson told the PNP that removing such police scalawags from its ranks would be “practical,” more so putting them behind bars.

“Getting them out of the PNP is a practical follow through. Putting them in jail is the logical conclusion,” he said in his tweet.

Lacson then urged the PNP leadership to continue with its internal cleansing.

“A good formula to sustain the campaign is simple – ‘leadership by example,’” he said.

All police members of the PS-11 DEU were sacked Friday after they allegedly demanded P300,000 from two men in exchange for their release.

The civilians were held for supposedly bearing an unlicensed gun during what they claimed was a buy-bust operation.

PNP officials, however, found that there was no record of the arrest in the blotter and the station’s spot report had no entry number.

The station’s commander, Supt. Igmedio Bernaldez, and DEU head Chief Insp. Erwin Guevarra, were also relieved for command responsibility.

Albayalde said their relief is to pave way for the ‘impartial” probe on the reported extortion attempt.