Section 53Sec./Art. 53

Section 42 of Republic Act No. 6975 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 42. Summary Dismissal Powers of the National Police Commission, PNP Chief and PNP Regional Directors. – The National Police Commission, the chief of the PNP and PNP regional directors, after due notice and summary hearings, may immediately remove or dismiss any respondent PNP member in any of the following cases:

"(a) When the charge is serious and the evidence of guilt is strong;

"(b) When the respondent is a recidivist or has been repeatedly charged and there are reasonable grounds to believe that he is guilty of the charges; and

"(c) When the respondent is guilty of a serious offense involving conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

"Any member or officer of the PNP who shall go on absence without official leave (AWOL) for a continuous period of thirty (30) days or more shall be dismissed immediately from the service. His activities and whereabouts during the period shall be investigated and if found to have committed a crime, he shall be prosecuted accordingly."