FOUR Pasay City policemen have been sacked after they were caught by a patrolling news team sleeping inside the precinct while on duty.

Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Supt. Benito Estipona has ordered the relief of 3rd shift duty personnel SPO1 Leoncio Munoz, PO3 El Heidi Bulaclac, PO2 Romy dela Cruz and PO2 Joshua Piel, who were all assigned at Police Community Precinct (PCP) 10.

They were all re-assigned to the Pasay City Police Administrative Holding Unit where they will face administrative investigation for neglect of duty.

Apart from the four policemen, Pasay city police officer-in-charge Supt. Manuel Turla also relieved PCP commander Chief Insp. Reynaldo Paculan for his “failure to exercise direction, supervision and control over his men.”

He was replaced by Insp. Neil Devedatulda, while a new set of personnel from police headquarters will be assigned at the 3rd shift, replacing the four relieved cops.

Estipona said that the relieved policemen were supposed to be patrolling their area of responsibility at Brgy. Merville with barangay watchmen from 12 midnight to 8 a.m. but were instead caught sleeping inside PCP office by patrolling news team from ABS-CBN at about 2 a.m.

Prior to this, Estipona already issued directives to all police in Metro Manila’s southern area not to be lulled to sleep while on the job.

He said that there is no excuse for police to fall asleep since they will not be doing overtime work or being on duty more than eight hours a day.

National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina earlier discouraged overtime work to prevent police to be exhausted while on the job.