Bogotá, December 10 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced on Wednesday the creation of a special commission to investigate ongoing corruption allegations involving the country’s National Police.

“I have decided to launch a high-level and independent commission to investigate the institution of police and to propose ways to improve the entity,” President Santos announced Wednesday.

During his address, Santos told local media that his administration would not hesitate when it comes to combating corruption in the national police.

The announcement takes place in the midst of an ongoing corruption investigation, which implicates the Director of Colombia’s National Police, General Rodolfo Palomino, in the illegal spying on journalists in efforts to cover up an alleged male prostitution ring carried out by high-ranking police officials.
 
The country's top National Police officials were accused earlier this week after local radio journalist Vicky Davila uncovered the scandal. She also revealed that her own personal communications had been illegally monitored by the police as a result of her investigations.

According to Davila, the surveillance is being carried out by the DIPOL clandestine unit of the police intelligence directorate under “the pretext of seeking to protect the peace process.” Palomino, a trusted ally of the Colombian president has rejected all the allegations, denying any involvement in the illegal spying and prostitution ring.

In recent years, several high-level scandals relating to Colombia’s intelligence agencies have prompted outcry at home and abroad, as well as calls for reform.

Colombia’s police and intelligence agencies deploy "secret and unlawful" surveillance tools and techniques, which allow authorities to access mass Internet and cellphone data beyond the scope of law, according to a recent report carried out by the London-based advocacy group Privacy International.