MANILA, Philippines  – Saying it will “never tolerate” any abuse of women, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday, May 22, urged victims to step forward and file charges against cops who allegedly used their quarantine powers to exploit them.

“The PNP takes these allegations seriously because we respect women and honor their role in society. We will never tolerate any form of physical or sexual abuse against women,” PNP chief General Archie Gamboa said in a statement to reporters.

“I strongly urge those unnamed sources to immediately report to the PNP and to file charges against suspected wrongdoers,” he added.

Gamboa was reacting to a Rappler report on cops who allegedly demanded sex from impoverished women in exchange for permission to cross quarantine borders. (READ: To cross coronavirus border, prostituted women abused by cops first)

It is unclear, however, if the PNP would initiate an investigation even without complaints filed against its men.

Sex-related crimes usually go unreported because of the sensitivity of the transgressions, and having cops as the alleged abusers make the process of reporting the crime doubly difficult.

Gamboa also called on the public to avoid “generalization” of the entire police force as sexual predators.

“We have police frontliners who risk their lives on a daily basis. It is unfair that they become part of an unfounded generalization,” he said. – Rappler.com