THE National Police will not let up in its campaign to rid the service of misfits and other undesirable policemen, the country’s top cop said on Monday.

Director General Avelino Razon Jr., National Police chief, said: ”Just as we are responsive to the morale and welfare needs of policemen, and quick to give due recognition for outstanding performance of duty, we are also swift and decisive in addressing issues on misconduct and breach of discipline.”

This developed as Razon ordered lawyer Alexis Canonizado, the inspector general of the National Police Internal Affairs Service, to be proactive in initiating motu propio investigation of reported cases of police misconduct, corruption, abuse and involvement in crime even without formal complaints. This function, he said, is part of the mandate of the IAS under Republic Acts 6975 and 8551.

Razon acknowledged the fact that policemen are often exposed to situations where abuse of authority and criminal misconduct can be committed especially for personal gain. ”There is always a very thin line that separates good and evil. And every police officer is expected to follow the straight and narrow path of proper public service.”

Razon aired the warning as he ordered a precharge investigation into the alleged irregularities involving some members of an antinarcotics unit of the Manila Police District (MPD).

Razon instructed Director Jefferson Soriano, chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, to conduct a precharge investigation against Chief Insp. Resty Nicandro and six of his subordinates assigned to the Station Anti-Illegal Drugs (SAID) Units of the MPD Station 4 in Sampaloc, Manila.

Four persons have so far surfaced before the office of the MPD director, Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales, to lodge complaints against Nicandro and his men for alleged robbery-extortion. Other Station 4 SAID personnel identified by complainants are Senior Police Officer (SPO) 1 Maurito Reneido, Police Officer (PO) 2 Christopher Pantaleon, PO1 Victorino Salao, SPO1 Benedicto Llorica, PO2 Jesus de Leon and PO1 Ernesto Pacierto.

Nicandro and his men are facing investigation for alleged involvement in hulidap activities in the Sampaloc area. Two women claimed they were arrested by the group last week on trumped-up charges of drug possession and were made to pay P40, 000 for their release. They were also divested of their cash, valuables and a motorcycle, investigation reports revealed. Two men, meanwhile, narrated to authorities a similar ordeal in their encounter with the Station 4 SAID personnel on October 28.

NOT even the supposed “reconciliation” between President Arroyo, Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and former President Fidel Ramos would stop the opposition from “strengthening” what was described as a “weak” impeachment complaint against the Chief Executive.

AS tension rises in major cities in Pakistan after President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has issued a warning to some 3,000 Filipinos there to contact the embassy and consulates and take precautions.

GOVERNMENT forces killed on Monday an Abu Sayyaf subcommander following a brief firefight in a remote village in Akbar, Basilan.

Lafayette Philippines is planning to file charges against saboteurs and hoax artists, as it is becoming increasingly clear according to the company, that the latest fishkill report is another hoax very similar to the one foisted on Sorsogon residents last year.

THE National Police will not let up in its campaign to rid the service of misfits and other undesirable policemen, the country’s top cop said on Monday.

THE US Senate has proposed additional contingency fund for the Philippines amounting to $2 million on top of the $30-million foreign military funding, provided the Philippine government addresses extrajudicial killings and its military stops intimidating leftist groups.