PNPA director claims corruption in police academy

The Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) director who cried foul about anomalies in the academy was one of 230 police personnel recalled allegedly due to "issues" between the PNPA and the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC).

Chief Supt. Noel Constantino bared alleged corruption in the academy, from cadets' allowances to the lack of a procurement process for the food and services concessionaires within the PNPA, at a press briefing Thursday.

Constantino said he investigated the anomalies during his six-month stint as PNPA superintendent, when he also experienced perks for the school officials.

He claimed his anti-corruption reforms compelled PPSC president Ruben Platon to replace him last month.

The PPSC, a component of the Department of Interior and Local Government, supervises the PNPA and other training agencies of the police, jail and fire services.

“All the Philippine National Police leadership wants is to institute the necessary reforms to raise the quality of the PNPA graduates, but apparently, these reforms do not sit well with the PPSC,” Constantino said.

Reaction from PPSC

For his part, Platon said he was not behind Constantino's removal and he does not oppose reforms within the PNPA.

Rather, the PNP did not recommend an extension of Constantino's duties as PNPA superintendent, he added.

“For the record, I am not against the reforms that he wants to institute. All we want is that he should follow the proper procedures in doing so,” he said.

Platon explained that Constantino was making decisions on the reforms on his own, without consulting the academic board.

“I always tell him that he should be very careful because we may end up facing legal problems," Platon added.

Overstaying personnel

President Aquino has ordered the PNPA to return Constantino to the position, the former director said in a text message to reporters.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas also said the palace issued a status quo order on the recall, which means all police officers may retain their positions.

Earlier, the Philippine National Police (PNP) recalled 49 PNPA personnel—including Constantino—and 181 PPSC instructors and training staff due to conflict between the two educational institutions.

"There were issues [between the PNPA and PPSC]. We thought it best to recall," PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac told GMA News Online in a phone interview. He refused to elaborate.

The PNP said it recalled the police personnel due to a National Police Commission resolution putting their period for detail at a maximum of six months, and not exceeding two years.

"It was found out that most of the PNP personnel detailed to PPSC have been performing duty for more than the maximum period, with one having served the PNPA for 22 years already," the PNP said in a statement.  

The recalled PPSC personnel comprised 141 police non-commissioned officers and 40 police commissioned officers led by Police Chief Superintendent Dominador Aquino Jr, Director of the Police National Training Institute, a training school for police recruits administered by the Philippine Public Safety College.

Meanwhile, among those recalled from the PNPA are deputy director SSupt. Leonardo Cesneros and PNPA Commandant of Cadets SSupt. Jon Arnaldo.

PNPA anomalies?

In the briefing, Constantino said more than 10 store owners within the academy have no existing contracts with the PNPA administration.

He said he required all concessionaires to sign a contract with the PNPA administration, and pay the monthly rental and electric and water bills.

He added that some PNPA personnel force cadet-trainees to buy items from them, such as laptops and cellular phones, using their monthly salary.

There were also cases of missing funds and unexplained transaction fees collected from cadets, Constantino said. For instance, cadets were not able to avail of check-ups with their insurance firm despite paying P4,000 yearly for the service, he said. — BM, GMA News