New PNP unit vs rogue cop arrests 106 rogue officers
The newly-activated Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group ( IMEG) of the Philippine National Police on Sunday said they arrested 106 police officers for their alleged involvement in illegal activities.
In a radio interview, Police Lieutenant Colonel Renante Lambojo, IMEG spokesperson, said out of the total 106 arrested, seven were officials with police lieutenant colonel as the highest rank, and 99 were police non-commissioned officers (PNCO).
Lambojo said they were also able to arrest 194 civilians.
"Usually they were involved in robbery extortion... also carnapping, attempted murder, attempted homicide, physical injuries, illegal gambling and illegal cockfighting... a lot of policemen were into cockfighting ever since," he said.
He said 61 were dismissed from the service. The others who have pending cases at Philippine National Police- Internal Affairs Service are at admin holding center.
Lambojo said police officers were facing administrative cases while the civilians faced criminal cases.
"During operation, there were civilian so we cannot leave them. (They will face) criminal case," he said.
He said they are monitoring 2, 120 police personnel where 504 were police commissioned officers and 1,616 were PNCO.
The highest ranking official being monitored is a police colonel.
"We received complaint (that he is involved) in illegal drugs," said Lambojo.
But Lambojo said they have to validate how he is his involved in illegal drugs.
Lambojo said they received the most number of complaints in Metro Manila and the usual complaints they received nationwide is robbery-extortion.
"It's really robbery that's 36 percent (of the complaints)... our president (Rodrigo Duterte) has a program against illegal drugs. They will arrest (a suspect) will not file a case, will call the family and ask for money in exchange of the suspect's freedom," he said.
He said they used to receive a lot of complaints but after they intensified their internal cleansing, only few reports are being received.
"Sometimes we don't receive any complaints for the whole day," said Lambojo.
Lambojo said the IMEG needs 306 personnel and 72 Special Action Force members.
"As of now, we are only 57. On the SAF, around 40 so we hope to reach the 306 (personnel) but there will be a process before they will be assigned in IMEG. like what the chief PNP (Oscar Albayalde) said they will undergo thorough background investigation and neuropsychiatric examination," he said.
He added that the PNP Directorate for Intelligence will choose the new members of the group.
Last June 14, Albayalde and Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano formally activated IMEG replacing the two-year old Counter-Intelligence Task Force as the primary unit for information gathering and conduct of offensive operation against erring PNP personnel. Ella Dionisio/DMS
