The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday debunked reports claiming that some of its personnel had resigned due to the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

In a press briefing at the Palace, PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo tagged such reports circulating online as “fake news.”

Fajardo said she had already inquired with PNP personnel and confirmed that they have not received any official communication about the resignations of cops in solidarity with Duterte, who was recently arrested on charges of “crimes against humanity” by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Citing the PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), she said the owners of these accounts are not police officers.

“May mga nakita na po tayo Ma’am, na fake news po… Tinanong ko yung personnel, so far wala pa naman po (We have seen some fake news. I asked our personnel, so far there's nothing),” Fajardo stressed.

The PNP spokesperson urged the public to be cautious in believing misinformation or disinformation.

“Sabi po ng ating chief PNP kanina ay wala po tayong planong disiplinahin itong mga supposedly mga pulis ay sinabi lang po niya ay very clear kanina ‘let us just remind our PNP personnel na sila ay miyembro ng PNP (Our Chief PNP said earlier that we do not plan to discipline these supposed police officers. He was very clear earlier when he said, 'Let us just remind our PNP personnel that they are members of the PNP.

“Bagamat, nirerespeto natin iyong kanilang mga religious and political beliefs, pero hanggang nasa PNP po tayo ay dapat po ay sumunod po tayo doon sa mga pinatutupad po nating mga ethical standard norms and policy po (While we respect their religious and political beliefs, as long as they are in the PNP, they must follow the ethical standards, norms, and policies that we enforce),” she added.

Fajardo noted the cops can still air their personal sentiments under the PNP’s grievance mechanisms.

“Dahil mayroon naman po tayong umiiral na mga grievance sa mechanism na pupuwede po nilang dalhin po doon. But, for as long as they are members of PNP ay mayroon po tayong mga dapat pong i-observe na mga protocol with respect po sa erring po ng ating mga personnel sentiments po (Because we have a grievance mechanism in place where they can bring their concerns. But as long as they are members of the PNP, there are protocols that must be observed regarding the sentiments of our personnel),” she said.

She then emphasized that the PNP respects the diverse political beliefs of its members.

However, she said police officers are still expected to uphold ethical standards.

“Among the 235,000 PNP personnel, each of us has our own religious and political beliefs, and these are respected by the leadership of the PNP,” she added.

“But in airing these views po while you're inside the PNP, short of saying you're being partisans already…and then hindi po yun sa tingin namin tama po,” she added.