The Philippine National Police headquarters in Quezon City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said it is strictly implementing a zero-tolerance policy with no second chances for erring police personnel, in response to Vice President Sara Duterte’s message to the 2025 graduating class of the PNP Academy.

PNP Chief Public Information Officer Col. Randulf Tuaño said Duterte’s message aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s graduation address and the directive of PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.

“Sususugan pa po natin. Ang sabi po ng ating Chief PNP, ito ‘yong zero tolerance sa pagkakamali ng ating Philippine National Police members at ‘yong there will be no second chance sa mga magkakamali,” Tuaño told reporters during a media briefing at Camp Crame.

(We echo it. As our PNP Chief said, this is a zero-tolerance policy for mistakes committed by members of the Philippine National Police, and there will be no second chances for those who err.)

“Gawin lang po natin kung ano ‘yong nasa batas at kung ano ‘yong tama,” he continued.

(Let’s simply do what is in accordance with the law and what is right.)

Marcos Jr leads graduation of PNPA Class of 2025

In a statement, Duterte urged the PNPA Sinaglawin Class of 2025 “to meaningfully serve the country and demonstrate a sense of patriotism.”

However, her message also expressed disapproval of a Filipino's surrender to foreigners. Her message came after the March 11 arrest of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.

“Sa inyong kagitingan at kahandaan na tunay na magsilbi, sana ay lagi ninyong piliin ang tama. Huwag sana ninyong hayaan na mabahiran ang inyong propesyon ng mali katulad ng pagkakanulo sa isang Pilipino ng kanyang kapwa Pilipino. Walang kapatawaran ang pagsuko at pagpapakulong sa mga dayuhan ng isang Pilipinong naglingkod ng tapat sa ating bayan,” Vice President Duterte said.

(With your courage and readiness to serve genuinely, I hope you will always choose what is right. Do not allow your profession to be tainted by wrongdoing, like the betrayal of a Filipino by a fellow Filipino. There is no forgiveness in surrendering and imprisoning, at the hands of foreigners, a Filipino who served our nation faithfully.)

Tuaño maintained that Duterte’s statement is in line with the PNP’s principles.

“Kung may message po ang ating VP Sara, maganda naman po ‘yong statement niya na sinabi niya po na gawin lang po ‘yong tama,” he said.

(If our Vice President Sara has a message, it’s a good one—she said we should simply do what is right.)

The PNP reported that it resolved a total of 3,611 administrative cases from April 1, 2024, to April 23, 2025. These included 1,288 dismissals, 172 demotions, 1,456 suspensions, and various other disciplinary actions such as salary forfeitures, reprimands, and restrictions, “as part of continued efforts to clean up the police force.”

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