Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos condoles with the family  of Navotas teen Jerhode Baltazar who was gunned down by cops while he and his friend were boarding a boat in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran. The cops mistook Baltazar for the shooting suspect they were pursuing. 

QUEZON CITY, (PIA) --Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Monday vowed to spearhead the review and strict implementation of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) operational guidelines on command responsibility.

 In a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Abalos emphasized the importance of cultivating accountability, transparency, and effective disciplinary mechanisms within the police organization. 

He said even superior officers of the PNP may be held accountable for any irregularities or offenses committed by their subordinates under the doctrine of command 

responsibility as stated in  Napolcom Memorandum Circular No. 95-03 and Executive Order No. 226 on command responsibility in the PNP.

Abalos said the PNP has already detained the police officers involved in the death of Navotas teen Jerhode ‘Jemboy’ Baltazar. 

"Rest assured that the PNP is pursuing criminal cases against these officers," Abalos added. 

He also said the Internal Audit Service and the  Napolcom are also conducting their own probe for purposes of administrative cases against the erring police officers. (pia-ncr)