Napolcom legal chief hits transfer over anti-corruption manifesto

Manila, Philippines - For supporting a manifesto that denounces the alleged unchecked corruption and irregularities in the Philippine National Police (PNP), a National Police Commission (Napolcom) official said he has been transferred to a post away from the agency’s Makati City main office.

Lawyer Owen de Luna, who has been serving as chief legal officer and head prosecutor of the Napolcom, told reporters he “was reassigned” to his former unit at the Napolcom’s Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) office.

His reassignment, dated June 28, was signed by Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer Eduardo Escueta.

De Luna, prior to the transfer, held the position of director under the Napolcom’s Legal Affairs Service (LAS). The order takes effect tomorrow.

De Lima believes his reassignment is the result of his having read out loud the manifesto during a meeting of Napolcom prosecutors at the Ascott serviced apartments (formerly Oakwood Hotel) last June 24.

De Luna said the four-page manifesto is “the product of all the ideas and issues raised by whistleblowers and complainants concerning the PNP.” He said he and other Napolcom prosecutors “want to address the problems of the PNP that are the sources of corruption.”

De Luna added that the manifesto also called for the passage of a law that would give more protection to whistleblowers and strengthen the grievance machinery of the PNP.

De Luna said his reading of the manifesto was “in exercise of his right to freedom of expression” and is guaranteed under the Constitution.

Escueta, however, said De Luna’s transfer was meant to defuse any tension between the Napolcom and the PNP following the reading of the manifesto, which he said “was a blanket indictment of the PNP. If he remains in his post at the LAS, the PNP might say we are already biased against them when we handle cases.”