The House of Representatives has appealed for Senate action on a bill transferring the Philippine National Police Academy and the National Police Training Institute from the Philippine Public Safety College to the Philippine National Police for a “highly efficient and competent police force.”
This came after House Bill 8628, authored by Representatives Gary Alejano of Magdalo Party-list, Leopoldo Bataoil of Pangasinan and Romeo Acop of Antipolo City, was approved on third and final reading by 200 votes last week.
The bill’s authors said they hope the Senate leadership would prioritize the bill’s passage.
The bill proposes to amend Sections 24, 35, 66 and 67 of Republic Act 6975, otherwise known as the “Department of Interior and Local Government Act of 1990,” as amended.
It provides that the Chief PNP shall have administrative and operational supervision and control over the PNPA, which was established pursuant to Section 13 of Presidential Decree No. 1184, and the NPTI, formerly known as the Philippine National Police Training Center.
The PNP shall absorb the office of the National Action Committee on Anti-Hijacking of the Department of Defense, all the functions of the present Philippine Air Force Security Command, as well as the police functions of the Philippine Coast Guard.
The PNP shall be provided with adequate land, sea, and air capabilities and all necessary material means or resources in order to perform its powers and functions efficiently and effectively.
The PNPA shall be headed by a PNPA Director with the rank of a Police Director who shall be assisted by a Deputy Director with the rank of Chief Superintendent.
The PNPA shall have a Dean of Academy and a Commandant, both with the rank of Chief Superintendent.
The PPSC shall be the premier educational institute for the training, human resource development and continuing education of all personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Fire Protection, and the provider of select career courses for police commissioned officers and specialized courses for PNP personnel.
The personnel and properties, facilities, records, equipment, funds, appropriations, rights, functions, liabilities, and other assets of the PNPA and NPTI shall hereby be transferred to the PNP.
Within 120 days from the effectivity of the Act, the Chief PNP shall submit the revised organizational structure and staffing pattern of the PNPA and the NPTI to the National Police Commission and the Department of Budget and Management for approval.
The revised organizational structure and staffing pattern shall include the reorganization and renaming of existing PNP training offices and units, and the realignment of functions as may be necessary.
The personnel of the PNPA and the NPTI shall be transferred form the PPSC to the PNP and continue to perform their duties and responsibilities and receive their corresponding salaries and benefits.
The Department of Interior and Local Government, in consultation with the PPSC, shall hereby be authorized to create a separate academy for the BJMP and BFP.
Thereafter, the PNPA shall produce graduates who will exclusively join the PNP.
The Secretary of the DILG and Ex-Officio Chairman of the NAPOLCOM shall formulate and implement a five-year transition plan to ensure the smooth transfer of the PNPA, NPTI to the PNP.
The NAPOLCOM, in coordination with the PNP, PPSC and the DILG, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the Act.
The amount necessary for the initial implementation of the Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the PNPA and the NPTI under the PPSC.
Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.