By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The National Police Commission (Napolcom) national office suspended nine police officers under Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 following an administrative complaint filed against them for less grave misconduct four years ago.
Eight of these policemen were non-commissioned officers to Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) here, while the other was a commissioned officer assigned to Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO).
Police Lieutenant Judesses Catalogo, officer-in-charge public information officer of Nocppo, said yesterday that the complaint was filed in 2019, and Napolcom issued a resolution in 2021. This year, Napolcom issued the suspension order.
Upon receiving a copy of the order, Catalogo said the eight police officers particularly assigned in Silay City Police Station were relieved from their posts.
Catalogo said they were suspended for 50 days with no pay, starting July 16 to September 3, citing the order of Napolcom. He did not name them pending further investigation on their offense.
Catalogo said the case is not yet final, as the officers can still appeal the decision.
Following this development, Catalogo said the suspension will not affect the functions of the remaining personnel in the police station, as Nocppo will fill in the vacancies with neophyte cops.
Meanwhile, the commissioned officer included in the order was Police Lieutenant Colonel Noel Polines, who was the chief of Silay City Police Station at that time.
Polines, who is currently assigned at the Planning and Strategic Management Unit of the BCPO, said the administrative case stemmed from their operation against illegal gambling in Silay City proper in 2019. He did not elaborate on the incident.
Polines said the original complaint filed against them was grave misconduct, but it was downgraded to less grave misconduct.
Polines said a motion for reconsideration has already been filed through their legal counsel, after obtaining an advance copy of the said order.
For his part, Police Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis, spokesperson of PRO-6, said that after the 50-day suspension, the nine policemen will report to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU)-6 in Iloilo City.
Aside from them, a non-commissioned officer from PRO-7 was also suspended, based on the order of Napolcom, according to Solis.
