No cops resigned due to Duterte arrest, says PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) dismissed Thursday reports that some of its personnel resigned in support of former president Rodrigo Duterte who was recently arrested for crimes against humanity.

“Tinanong ko yung personnel, so far wala pa naman po (I asked our personnel, so far there's nothing),” PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said during a press briefing when asked about the reported resignations from the PNP ranks.

Fajardo said while the PNP respects the different political beliefs of its members, police officers should observe ethical standards.

“Sa 235,000 na PNP personnel, lahat po tayo ay may kanya-kanyang religious at political beliefs, at nirerespeto po yun ng pamunuan ng PNP,” Fajardo said.

(Among the 235,000 PNP personnel, we all have our own religious and political beliefs, and the PNP leadership respects that.)

“But in airing these views po while you're inside the PNP, short of saying you're being partisans already…and then hindi po yun sa tingin namin tama po,” she added.

(But in airing these views while you're inside the PNP, short of saying you're being partisans already…and we don't think that's proper.)

According to Fajardo, PNP chief Police General Rommel Marbil has issued instructions to remind their personnel on this matter.

Fajardo said at least two social media accounts claiming to be police officers that shared their sentiments on Duterte’s arrest were found to be “bogus.”

Citing the PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), Fajardo said the owners of these accounts are not police officers.

“Kaya sinasabi ko nga po na mag-ingat po tayo baka may gumagamit ng sitwasyon to sow some confusion doon sa mga nangyayari na po ngayon,” she said

(That's why I'm saying that we should be careful because someone might be using the situation to sow some confusion as to what is happening right now.)

Fajardo also debunked a video claiming that police officers were supposedly crying during the former president’s arrest. According to Fajardo, the cops were just wiping sweat from their faces.

“Ang init. Ang daming tao. Imagine niyo yung mga suot ng mga pulis natin, naka-camouflage, naka-lousy cap. Grabe ang pawis,” she said.

(It was hot. There were crowds. Imagine what our police were wearing, camouflage uniforms and lousy caps. They were sweating a lot.)

“So kausap ko yung director ng [Special Action Force], we don't want to discredit yung nag-post po noon, ang pagpunas mo ng pawis ay they're just making it appear na lumuluha po yung mga pulis natin,” she added.

(So I spoke to the director of the Special Action Force, we don't want to discredit the person who posted that, they’re just making it appear that our police officer were crying but they were just wiping away perspiration.)

On Tuesday morning, authorities served a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Duterte for murder charges as a crime against humanity in connection with his deadly drug war that reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 6,000 people.

The plane carrying Duterte departed the Philippines on Tuesday evening heading to The Hague in the Netherlands.

Early Thursday morning (Philippine time), a convoy bearing Duterte entered the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison where he is set to be held while awaiting trial. —RF, GMA Integrated News