IAS probes 797 cops

MANILA, Philippines — Up to 797 police officers are under investigation in connection with 208 administrative cases being handled by the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) following a major internal review initiated by Philippine National Police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III.

At a media briefing yesterday, IAS Inspector General Brigido Dulay said 82 of the cases were motu proprio investigations, triggered by incidents such as police operations resulting in a fatality, injury or indiscriminate firing. The remaining 126 stemmed from complaints filed by civilians.

Of the 208 cases, nine have been resolved, 33 are under review, 78 are being readied for formal charges and 88 are undergoing summary hearings.

“The resolved cases involved 31 police personnel. Nineteen of them were dismissed from the service. Eighteen for grave misconduct and one for conduct unbecoming of a police officer,” Dulay said. “The rest were either demoted or suspended.”

Among those dismissed was a police lieutenant colonel, the highest-ranking officer sanctioned so far.