PD Ingking warns policemen Involved in illegal operations

NEWLY installed Provincial Police Director PSSupt. Edgardo Ingking again mouthed the warning for police officers into the payrolls and facilitating the ride-on illegal numbers game. This as he spoke before town executives gathered at the League of Municipalities of the Philippines meeting at the Governor's Mansion Conference Hall, Thursday, January 31. Not only that, he said he is directing all police officers to stay away from cockpits, or else they face stiff disciplinary actions.

“Stations Commanders would then be liable when police elements in the stations have been found remiss in their jobs,” he beamed. Here in Bohol , there is a standing one-strike policy implemented by previous police commanders. Whether the warning would be taken as another empty boast, mayors said they are going to give the benefit of the doubt for the Bohol-borne provincial commander to deliver.

Presented for the first time after his installation weeks ago, PSSupt. Ingking presented the police crime-fighting capability status in Bohol, as set in a backdrop of burgeoning population, increasing criminality and decreasing number of foot policemen up to discourage bad elements from hitting the innocent. Ingking said the police have been badly out-numbered with a cop to safe-keep 1500 residents, far from the ideal 1 police for every 1000, he bared. Even then, local governments units have been credited for the crucial continued police office operations while the cash-strapped PNP tries to make both ends meet and run its mandates.

At this, the new police director, who took the place vacated by one who apparently did not earn the confidence of mayors, again asked for continued support as he said he would transform the cops into efficient crime-curbing force. On his breast-beating directive against the illegal swertes, LMP Bohol Chairman Josephine Socorro Jumamoy hinted action from the police, as she stood for the mayors who were short of demanding a quota of apprehensions of persons involved in illegal gambling operations.

This came as Philippine National Police (PNP) director general Oscar Calderon credited to the entire police force the successful campaign against criminality, in rites held in Manila that same day. In Bohol however, police authorities embattled in curbing the recent spate of high profile robberies, hold-ups and the proliferation of drugs and illegal gambling have appeared totally helpless against organized criminal activities. Dipped in this situation, Pssupt. Inking rallied for support from mayors gathered to help them do the job. Over this and being exposed to counter-charges, police work also necessarily put their promotional chances at risk when they become entangled in pending legal tussles, Ingking reported. A law is still in effect that suspends promotional chances of policemen still not cleared of charges while in the course of their duty. MP Chairman Jumamoy then hinted that the league may help in lobbying for the amendment of the law to encourage cops from efficient services.

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