‘No order to kill ‘ninja cops, no P5M for policemen'

The Philippine National Police (PNP) clarified on Monday, Aug. 20, that there is no order to kill “ninja cops” and that police officers are not entitled to receive the P5-million bounty on the head of a dead “ninja cop.”

PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said the reward will go to the person who provided information that led to the neutralization of a “ninja cop,” or police officers who protect drug personalities or recycle recovered illegal drugs for their own business.

“The reward goes to the person who provided the information that led to the neutralization of a ninja cop. Usually a civilian or police asset provides that information. The police officers involved in the operation do no get the reward,” said Albayalde.

He made the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he was increasing the bounty on the head of a “ninja cop” to P5 million from P3 million.

Albayalde said over 1,700 police personnel who were allegedly involved in various illegal activities are included in their counter-intelligence watchlist.

He allayed fears about policemen turning into “bounty hunters.” He also said there has been no order to immediately kill erring officers.

“There is no need to kill them, not in all operations. It depends on the situation. A lot of these officers have surrendered and their cases are under deliberation and adjudication by the Directorate for Intelligence),” said Albayalde.

Albayalde said Duterte’s move may have been due to frustration that despite the government’s efforts to improve the work conditions of law enforcers, there are still some who refused to stop their illegal activities.