Duterte to announce mass firing of corrupt cops

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Sunday, Dec. 17, said he is set to fire 60 to 90 police officers including three superintendents on Wednesday over alleged corruption.

“On Wednesday, mga tatlong superintendent, about 90, siguro mga minimum of 60 police, umalis kayo sa PNP,” Mr. Duterte said in his remarks at Senator Emmanuel D. Pacquiao’s birthday party Sunday night.

(On Wednesday, three superintendents [and] about 90, maybe minimum of 60 police — leave your post in the PNP [Philippine National Police]).

“I am starting the purging at huwag kayong mainsulto kung hindi ka naman tinatamaan,” he added.

(I am starting the purging and don’t be offended if you are not being alluded to.)

He did not name the police officers he said he will fire, but Mr. Duterte reaffirmed his stand that he will not tolerate corruption during his presidency.

“I’m just warning itong mga pulis na kurakot, talagang hihiritan ko kayo, babantayan ko kayo,” he said.

(I’m just warning these corrupt police officers, I will be watching over you.)

In October, Mr. Duterte dismissed Police Director Joel D. Pagdilao, former head of the National Capital Region Police Office, and Chief Supt. Edgardo G. Tinio, former Quezon City police chief, for serious neglect of duty leading to the proliferation of drugs in their areas of jurisdiction.

Almost two years into his presidency, Mr. Duterte has also fired several appointees over alleged corruption, a number of them leading supporters of his presidential campaign last year.

Last week, Mr. Duterte fired four commissioners and the chairman of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor due to alleged unnecessary junkets abroad.

“Huwag mo kaming pabayarin sa kalokohan ninyo (Don’t let us pay for your shenanigans). It is not fair,” the President said.

Mawalan ka ng trabaho, ang alam mo, pang-pulis, mag-holdup ka, pupunta ka sa droga, eh talagang sabi ko, walang korapsyon, droga, at sisirain mo ’yung bayan ko, I will destroy you,” he added.

(You’ll lose your jobs, you know, for the police, you do a holdup, go to drugs, I really said, no corruption, drugs, and you will destroy my country, I will destroy you.) — Rosemarie A. Zamora