Thirty-eight policemen have been dismissed from the service for misconduct and breach of discipline since October 1.

The policemen, including an officer, were fired by Director General Avelino Razon Jr., National Police chief, for committing various offenses including neglect of duty, abandonment of post, grave misconduct, serious irregularities and involvement in criminal activities.

Director Edgardo Acuña, National Police personnel chief, said that for the month of October, a total of 295 policemen have also been penalized for various offenses and violation of regulations.

Aside from the 38 personnel who were dismissed, eight others were demoted in rank, 74 were suspended, 144 penalized with forfeiture of salary, 28 were reprimanded and three were forced to resign.

Acuña said that the 295 erring personnel who were penalized are respondents in 633 administrative cases filed before the various disciplinary bodies for the month of October alone.

“All these 633 administrative cases stemmed from complaints that were all investigated and acted upon at the different levels of command . . . some were meted out nondisciplinary sanctions while others were either exonerated or the cases against them were dropped,” Acuña said.

However, he also said that during the month of October, a total of 16,532 uniformed and nonuniformed National Police personnel were awarded with medals and citations for outstanding performance of duty, among them, nine officers who were awarded the coveted Medalya ng Katapatan sa Paglilingkod, or the police version of the Distinguished Service Medal.

Also awarded were 14 Outstanding Achievement Medals, 15 Special Service Medals, 88 Medalya ng Kadakilaan, or Heroism Medal, 2,733 Medalya ng Kagalingan, 3,179 Medalya ng Kasanayan; 7,283 Medalya ng Papuri; and other special awards and recognition.

“Just as we are responsive to the morale and welfare needs of police personnel 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,” Razon said.

Meanwhile, 11 senior police officers will assume new positions in a new wave of reshuffle following the retirement of five police generals this month.

Acuña said 19 senior police officers would vow out of service under the current month.

First to retire is Director Wilfredo Garcia, former director for operations, who vowed out of the service on November 5, 2007.

Director Ernesto Belen, logistics chief, retires on Wednesday together with Chief Supt. Edwin Pfleider of the Eastern Visayas police command.

Chief Supt. Nicasio Radovan Jr., Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) police commander, retires on Thursday while Chief Supt. Orlando Maddela Jr. of the Internal Affairs Services (IAS) will leave the service on November 14.

Replacing Belen is Director Charlemagne Alejandrino, who will relinquish his post at the Directorate for Plans to Chief Supt. Romeo Ricardo, director of the civil security group (CSG).

Chief Supt. Ireneo Bacolod will take over as director of CSG while his former post as deputy personnel chief will be taken over by Chief Supt. Sukarno Ikbala, former deputy community relations chief.

Senior Supt. Roberto Rongavilla will replace Ikbala while his former position as executive officer of the Directorate for Operations will be assumed by Senior Supt. Reynaldo Rafal.

Acuña said that Senior Supt. Rodolfo Sebastian will assume as deputy chief of the Police Community Relations Group while Senior Supt. Salvador Manga will be the chief of the directorial staff of the Traffic Management Group.

In the regional level, Chief Supt. Ricardo Padilla will replace Radovan as Calabarzon police commander, while Senior Supt. Paterno Bangui and Senior Supt. Darius Magallanes Tuazon Jr. will assume as deputy directors for administration and operations respectively of the Eastern Visayas police command.

Acuña said that other than the five police generals who are retiring this month, six other senior superintendents and eight superintendents are also on the lists of retirees for the same month.

Of the 19 senior official scheduled to retire this month, nine are from the national headquarters, four are from Calabarzon, two are assigned in Eastern Visayas and two are holding positions in the Cagayan Valley.

Thirty-eight policemen have been dismissed from the service for misconduct and breach of discipline since October 1.

ANTIGRAFT court Sheriff Ed Urieta formally served on Tuesday the writ of execution that was issued by the Sandiganbayan on a piece of property and other assets of former-President Joseph Estrada, which the court said were built and purchased through his kickbacks from the government contracts and income from illegal numbers game jueteng.

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—Thousands of Pampanga folk led by local officials and leaders of civic groups staged a peace and unity congress dubbed “Kongreso ng Mamamayan para sa Pagkakaisa at Kapayapaan [People’s Congress for Unity and Peace]” and reiterated their support for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the Paskuhan Village on Tuesday.

SEN. Juan Ponce Enrile, warning against a cover-up, on Tuesday asked the Ayala family and its concerned executives to take full responsibility for the October 19 Glorietta 2 mall explosion amid findings that the deadly blast was not the handiwork of terrorists as initially suspected, but was likely caused by accident or negligence.

THE Education department on Tuesday appealed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to release the emoluments of teachers who served in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

DR. SIMON L. CHUA, president of the Mathematics Trainers’ Guild (MTG) Philippines, was recently conferred the Aryabaht International Award for mathematics for Research and Innovation in Teaching Mathematics in school children.

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) alerted motorists the following national roads would be closed to traffic from November 5: in the province of Kalinga—the Saltan Bridge along Calanan-Pinukpuk-Abbut Road; Ipil Section along Balbatan-Pinukpok Road; Bunogon Section, Walis Section, Pyucan Section along Calanan, and  in the Mt. Province Thev Boundary Road in Kilometer 525 along Tabuk Banaue Road.