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PNP chief defends relief of 35 Davao City cops, says it's part of protocol

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Kevin Alabaso

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- The head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday that the recent relief of 35 Davao City cops is not abnormal.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a recommendation made by the regional internal affairs natin... We have to relieve them para magawan ng possible investigation... We have to remove them para makita [ng public] na impartial &#x27;yung investigation natin,&quot; P/Gen Rommel Francisco Marbil said in TeleRadyo Serbisyo&#x27;s Story Outlook.</p><p>He added that it is part of their protocol to relieve suspected personnel and that they&#x27;re just putting importance on the lives of the police while they are not yet found guilty.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/5/25/35-davao-city-cops-relieved-from-posts-over-death-of-7-drug-suspects-1824">READ: 35 Davao City cops relieved from posts over death of 7 drug suspects</a></div><p>&quot;May procedure po kami na sinusunod when we arrest so... [we investigate kung] tama ba yung pulis namin o nagkamali ba &#x27;yung pulis namin. Kung  hindi, do we learn something about it kasi buhay po kasi ng tao yan e. We have to protect [them]... Although suspect sila, they also have human rights,&quot; Marbil said.</p><p>&quot;This is the policy na gusto namin [ipakita] na unless proven guilty, wala kang bakat... We have to preserve human lives. &#x27;Yun na po &#x27;yung number 1 na ilagay po natinn.&quot;</p><p>Marbil also reminded PNP personnel that they should follow the rules and that they should be the &quot;number 1 follower of human rights.</p><p>&quot;Ang mga pulis po natin, hindi lang &#x27;yung in davao, lahat naman po kami sumusunod sa batas. Well, of course, itong ginawa nila, we have to see kung may ginawang tama o mali. We dont have to judge kung ano. Ang sinasabi lang namin, let us follow the rules,&quot; he said.</p><p>Last May 25, up to 35 cops in Davao City were sacked from their posts, following an internal investigation into the deaths of 7 drug suspects.</p><p>Among the 35 relieved cops were former Davao City Police Office (DCPO) chief Richard Bad-ang and 11 station commanders of the DCPO.</p><p>Davao City Mayo Sebastian &quot;Baste&quot; Duterte has earlier questioned the move to relieve the said police officers, saying &quot;declaring war on drugs is not a bad thing.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/5/28/baste-duterte-questions-relief-of-davao-cops-over-bloody-anti-drug-operations-1439">READ: Baste Duterte questions relief of Davao cops over bloody anti-drug operations</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/3/26/5-dead-after-mayor-baste-declares-war-on-drugs-in-davao-city-1022">READ: 7 dead after Mayor Baste declares &#x27;war on drugs&#x27; in Davao City</a></div>

<p>The head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday that the recent relief of 35 Davao City cops is not abnormal.</p>

The head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday that the recent relief of 35 Davao City cops is not abnormal.