Over 70 BARMM cops fired; face hazing raps
More than 70 police officers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have been relieved of their posts over the alleged hazing of at least 129 recruits, the Philippine National Police said on Monday.
All the police officers are from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 14B (RMFB) of the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO BAR).
According to an initial police report from the police regional office, the alleged hazing took place at the RMFB’s headquarters in Barangay Ubit, Lamitan City, Basilan, on Feb. 5.
It said the recruits were ordered to duck walk, lie down and roll on the ground, and subjected to “physical assault” using wooden sticks and arnis sticks.
“All members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 14B were removed and replaced with members of 14A. So all of them, 70 plus, were administratively relieved,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said at a press briefing in Camp Crame.
Suspects identified
He added that among those positively identified by the complainants were 12 police noncommissioned officers, while the PRO BAR police report identified as suspects five police corporals, five patrolmen and several John Does.
The complaint against the relieved police officers was initially filed by only one of the recruits. Eighteen others, however, gave their own statements, followed by 110 others, according to Tuaño.
The PNP said that all the complainants are undergoing medical evaluation, while investigators are still determining whether more officers were involved in the alleged hazing.
“They have physical injuries such as hematoma and aches. Some were punched and slapped, among others,” Tuaño noted.
He added that the entire police unit was placed under the police regional office’s holding and accounting section in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, pending an investigation and the filing of a case for violation of Republic Act No. 11053, or the Anti-Hazing Act.
Zero tolerance
“The Philippine National Police has zero tolerance for hazing in training and welcome rites. Our Chief PNP says whoever will be proven guilty will be held accountable through criminal and administrative cases,” Tuaño said.
On Sunday, the PRO BAR said in a statement that its chief, Brig. Gen. Jaysen de Guzman, visited the hazing victims in Lamitan City to check on their condition.
The National Police Commission Bangsamoro office also issued a separate statement on Monday, saying it has launched its own investigation into the incident.
