Central Visayas cops deployed vs rogue lawmen in Metro Manila

The National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) has formed a group of policemen, dubbed the Red Team, to run after scalawag policemen in Metro Manila.

But the Red Team does not stand for “Retired, Extremely Dangerous” Team depicted in a

Hollywood film. It is a group of motorcycle-riding cops, plucked out from Central Visayas, to conduct surveillance on all policemen involved in illegal activities or any form of abuses in Metro Manila.

“There are many of them and they were already deployed in Metro Manila. The Red Team reports directly to me,” said Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, the former Central Visayas police chief who was recently appointed NCRPO director.

But Sinas said the Red Team will not engage in busting policemen, since their job is only to gather pieces of evidence that would pin down erring cops.

The NCRPO chief said he brought the concept he adopted in Central Visayas, where he had served as regional director, as it was proven effective in running after erring cops.

In fact, he said, members of the Red Team are all from Central Visayas regional police.

He said residents and businessmen of Central Visayas could attest that the deployment of Red Team was effective against scalawag policemen.

“Yes, effective yan doon maski magtanong kayo doon pati mayari doon kung may nakikita silang pulis na naglalaro sabi nila wala na doon (It was effective. Even if you ask business owners there, if they policemen who are playing, they say there is none),” he said.

He said members of the Red Team will not be even using marked police vehicle.

Instead of using patrol cars, members of the Red Team just roam around in their motorcycles to track rogue cops.

“Umiikot yan naka motor sila, (buddy system) yan. Pagdating sa gabi, papasok na rin ng mga clubs to observe. Dapat hindi kilala ‘to. Hindi kami maglagay ng patrol car sa ngayon (They are working in a buddy system. During nighttime, they enter clubs to observe. They should not be known. We will not put patrol cars for now),” he said.

In the meantime, he said, the Red Team will only focus on ensuring that his no-golf order would be strictly complied.

Sinas explained that he came up with the name Red Team since it is usually the name being attributed to policemen checking on major events like the Southeast Asian Games.

The yourdictionary.com, however, states that Red Team is a computer definition which means a team of experts focusing on penetration testing, assessment, and design of secure system.

The term Red Team started from the Cyber Defense exercises in 2005 aimed at securing the information system of the United States, wherein a team from US National Security Agency and Defense department identified the vulnerabilities of designed computer system and crack into each network. (With a report from PNA)