New batch of Pasay cops starts work today

The new batch of policemen who will start work at the Pasay police station today may have to either work standing up or share a table with each other.

In the Criminal Investigation Division of the Pasay City police headquarters, only six desks and little or nothing else were left.

It was revealed that the missing desks are now in the possession of the investigators who were required to undergo a police refresher course as a result of the recent bungled hostage taking incident. Aside from the desks, the relieved policemen also took with them their personal typewriters.

SPO1 Antonio Canoy said that the desks and typewriters were the personal property of the relieved policemen. Canoy said all of the workable typewriters belong to the former Pasay City policemen and the few units left to the new batch were "very old and unusable."

Because of the lack of financial support from the Philippine National Police, the rank and file policemen assigned to local police stations purchased their office equipment out of their own pockets. Only police stations which have the support of the local government units are equipped with all the necessary amenities.

All 341 members of the Pasay City police including its chief of police Superintendent Eduardo dela Cerna were relieved and ordered to take a refresher course as a result of the bungled hostage incident.

Four-year-old Dexter Balala and hostage-taker Diomedes Talbo were both killed during the two-hour hostage drama at the Philtranco bus terminal in Pasay City last May 31.

A total of 31 Pasay City policemen present during the incident were charged with homicide based on the findings of the Internal Affairs Service of the PNP.

The replacements of the relieved policemen come from the Southern Police District Headquarters and the National Capital Regional Police Office.