39 relieved cops undergo moral, spiritual retraining
After they were relieved of their duties, the 39 police officers formerly assigned in the Parian Police Station in Cebu City is undergoing a moral recovery program prior to the start of their 15-day retraining.
Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Joel Doria said that the program will be implemented until the officers’ formal retraining in the Regional Training Center will start.
“The relief is part of the Philippine National Police’s procedure where we need to conduct a retraining but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are involved in the incident,” Doria said.
The Police Regional Office 7 relieved the officers in Parian Police Station after their colleague, PO3 Ritchie Saquilabon, was caught allegedly asking for a P20,000 bribe from a drug suspect last Monday.
Pastor Philip Bartolaba of the Evangelical Churches of the Philippines led the values formation and development seminar initiated by CCPO yesterday.
“This will serve as a lesson to our personnel to also caution their fellow police officers,” Doria said.
Doria said the moral recovery program will not only be limited to the relieved cops but to all personnel of the CCPO.
The police chief’s pronouncement came after Mayor Tomas Osmeña threatenedd to suspend the police’s monthly allowance from the City Government if there is widespread extortion in precincts. /