DILG chief orders relief of PNP Academy director over ‘oral sex punishment’ issue

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief Eduardo Año has ordered the immediate relief of the head of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) overt the alleged "oral sex punishment" and hazing imposed by senior cadets on underclassmen.

OIC Secretary Año ordered the relief of PNPA director Chief Superintendent Joseph Adnol "for command responsibility and to pave the way for an impartial investigation into the incident," a statement from DILG Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said on Wednesday.

Año also ordered Philippine Public Safety College President (PPSC) Ricardo De Leon to conduct an investigation on the issue and carry out measures "to ensure that no such incident will happen again in the academy."

“We should not tolerate such scandalous acts in our ranks.  The PPSC should act with dispatch to ensure that the true ideals, values, and discipline in the academy will continuously be upheld,” the DILG chief said.

The PNPA is one of the constitutive units of the PPSC.

The  DILG said the PNP is expected to conduct a separate probe on the incident to determine criminal liability.

Later in the day, PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr. said PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde ordered the immediate relief of Adnol.

At the same time, Durana said Albayalde ordered the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management to "immediately start the process for the possible designation of Chief Superintendent Chiquito Malayo as the new PNPA director."

Criminal charges

Citing initial reports, the DILG said an upperclassman ordered two cadets to perform oral sex on each other as punishment for allegedly committing violations.

The incident reportedly happened on October 6 behind the barracks within the academy premises.

Two more senior cadets who were allegedly present at the time "did not lift a finger to stop the punishment and just watched the alleged sexual act."

The DILG said the respondent cadets, who have been placed in isolation, could face a criminal charge of hazing as well as administrative cases.

They also face a separate criminal case filed by the plebe victims. — MDM/RSJ, GMA News