Philippines police penalize over 1,100 officers in internal discipline drive

Philippine National Police (PNP) has penalized 1,191 personnel this year as part of an ongoing internal cleansing and disciplinary campaign, according to an official statement on Tuesday.

The officers were penalized between Jan. 1 and May 6, 2026, PNP said in a statement issued on US social media platform Facebook.

Sanctions ranged from dismissal and suspension to demotion, salary forfeiture, restriction, reprimand and withholding of privileges, depending on the severity of violations, "based on records from the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM)," the statement read.

According to the figures, 551 officers were suspended, 353 dismissed from service, 176 subjected to salary forfeiture, 63 demoted, 23 reprimanded, 20 stripped of privileges and five placed under restriction.

PNP Chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said disciplinary measures were being enforced regardless of rank or position as part of efforts to strengthen accountability and restore public trust.

"It is important that we maintain public trust through a disciplined and professional police force," Nartatez said in a statement.

Separate DIDM records also showed that from Aug. 26, 2025, to May 6, 2026, a total of 1,108 personnel, including police officers, commissioned officers and non-uniformed staff, were dismissed under an intensified disciplinary campaign.