Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and 2025 senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Saturday blasted the 31 police officers who were involved in a raid that led to the theft of some P75 million in cash and valuables earlier this week.
Lacson, who reformed the PNP when he headed it from 1999 to 2001, said the raid was more of an armed robbery than a police operation – and the police officers involved as scalawags.
He pushed for an intensified internal cleansing in the PNP so incidents like this will not happen again.
“Indisputably, it was not a police operation but an armed robbery. To describe these cops as police scalawags would be an understatement,” he said in a post on X.
Related: Ping Lacson, Binanatan ang mga ‘Scalawags in Uniform’ sa Las Piñas ‘Armed Robbery,’ Iginiit ang Internal Cleansing sa PNP
Earlier reports said the 31 police officers from the Eastern Police District (EPD)’s Special Operations Unit were relieved following the incident, with eight of them who directly took part in the raid being disarmed.
The reports said the officers raided a house in Las Piñas City last April 2 to serve an arrest warrant – outside their area of responsibility. Investigation showed EPD chief P/Brig. Gen. Villamor Tuliao was not informed about the operation.
Investigation also showed they disabled the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the house – then took the cash and valuables in the house. The Chinese they arrested was also not the same person in the warrant.
Also, the reports said the arrested Chinese was first brought to the EPD, but was taken to the Las Piñas police on Thursday morning, supposedly to undergo inquest proceedings for bribery. The police officers involved claimed the Chinese’s family offered P12 million for his release.
Lacson – during whose watch as PNP chief saw kotong cops and other misfits disappear from the police force – reminded the PNP leadership to intensify the institution’s internal cleansing to prevent such incidents.
“I had crossed paths with these ICU Cops – the Inept, Corrupt, and Undisciplined. And as Chief PNP, I removed them through AID – Aptitude, Integrity, and Discipline. The PNP leadership may use the same formula to continue cleansing the ranks through training and sustained internal cleansing efforts, until no misfit is left,” he said.
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Ping Lacson, Binanatan ang mga ‘Scalawags in Uniform’ sa Las Piñas ‘Armed Robbery,’ Iginiit ang Internal Cleansing sa PNP
Mga scalawags in uniform. Ito ang banat ni dating Philippine National Police chief at 2025 senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado sa 31 pulis na sangkot sa isang raid na nauwi sa pagnakaw ng pera at mamahaling gamit na naiulat na umabot sa P75 milyon.
Ani Lacson, na naglinis sa imahe ng PNP noong pinamunuan niya ito mula 1999 hanggang 2001, ang raid ay mas mukhang “armed robbery” at hindi police operation – at ang mga sangkot ay mga “scalawags.”
Kailangan ng PNP na palakasin ang internal cleansing nito para hindi maulit ang ganitong insidente, dagdag niya.
“Indisputably, it was not a police operation but an armed robbery. To describe these cops as police scalawags would be an understatement,” giit ni Lacson sa post sa X.
Ayon sa ulat, ang 31 pulis na galing sa Eastern Police District (EPD) Special Operations Unit ay relieved na matapos ang insidente. Dinisarmahan din ang walo sa kanila na may direct involvement sa raid.
Dagdag ng ulat, sinalakay ng mga pulis ang bahay sa Las Piñas City ngayong Martes para maghain ng arrest warrant – kahit na wala sa area of responsibility nila ang Las Piñas. Hindi rin pinaalam kay EPD chief P/Brig. Gen. Villamor Tuliao ang operasyon.
Lumabas sa imbestigasyon na pinatay ng mga pulis ang closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras sa bahay bago kunin ang pera at mamahaling bagay. Ang Tsinong inaresto nila ay iba sa taong nakalagay sa warrant.
Bukod dito, ang inarestong Tsino ay dinala muna sa EPD pero dinala sa Las Piñas police Huwebes ng umaga para sa inquest proceedings, dahil diumano’y inalok ng kamaganak niya sa kanila ang P12 milyon para palayain siya.
Pinaalalahanan ni Lacson – na nagpatalsik sa mga kamote cops noong siya ang namuno sa PNP – ang pamunuan ng PNP na palakasin ang internal cleansing efforts nila para hindi maulit ang ganitong insidente.
“I had crossed paths with these ICU Cops – the Inept, Corrupt, and Undisciplined. And as Chief PNP, I removed them through AID – Aptitude, Integrity, and Discipline. The PNP leadership may use the same formula to continue cleansing the ranks through training and sustained internal cleansing efforts, until no misfit is left,” aniya.
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