MANILA –Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-In-Charge Secretary Eduardo M. Año has ordered the relief of the head of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) over the alleged “oral sex punishment” and hazing imposed on underclassmen by senior cadets.
“OIC-Secretary Año has ordered the immediate relief of the PNPA director, Chief Supt. Joseph Andol for command responsibility and to pave the way for an impartial investigation into the incident,” DILG spokesperson Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said in a news release on Wednesday.
The DILG chief also directed Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) president Ricardo de Leon to investigate the issue and carry out measures to ensure that no such incident will happen again in the academy.
The PNPA is one of the constitutive units of the PPSC.
“We should not tolerate such scandalous acts in our ranks. The PPSC should act with dispatch to ensure that the true ideals, values, and discipline in the academy will continuously be upheld,” Año said.
He said the Philippine National Police shall also conduct a separate probe on the incident to determine criminal liability.
According to initial reports, the incident, which happened on Oct. 6 in the barracks within the academy premises, involved an upperclassman ordering two plebes to perform oral sex as punishment for allegedly committing violations.
Two other senior cadets, who were allegedly present during the incident, did nothing to stop the punishment and just watched the alleged sexual act.
The respondent cadets, who have been placed in isolation, could face a criminal charge of hazing, as well as administrative cases. The plebes are also filing a separate criminal case against them.
“We should not allow this so-called tradition or culture of violence to continue within the hallowed halls of the PNPA. It is contrary to the ideals of PNPA as the premier institution that produces the future police, fire and jail officers in our country,” Año said.
Last March, the PNPA was also embroiled in a scandal when six graduating upperclassmen were beaten up by 40 PNPA cadets on their graduation day.
The PNP has since requested the DILG to turn over the management of the PNPA from the PPSC to PNP national headquarters. (DILG PR/PNA)
