"This is what the PNP needs."
"This is what the PNP needs."
You could probably be forgiven for thinking that with the spate of headlines of cops going astray from their sworn duty to serve and protect the public, the only viable solution is to abolish the institution altogether. However, that's tantamount to throwing the baby out with the bathwater, as we need the good cops to protect us from the murderers, rapists, akyat- bahay and basag-kotsegangs and assorted other criminals who should really be locked up in jail and the keys thrown into the ocean.
“‹The resignation of General Oscar Albayalde as chief of the Philippine National Police following a Senate hearing linking him to a controversial police anti-drug operation way back in 2013 underscores the need to institute thoroughgoing reforms in the organization.
“‹Albayalde's resignation, as Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, has pointed out, does not absolve him from a slew of criminal charges prepared by the PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. Count 'em: misappropriating seized illegal drugs, graft, qualified bribery, falsification of public documents, perjury and dereliction of duty.
“‹Albayalde's fall from grace comes as no surprise. After all, the PNP has acknowledged the involvement of a number of police officers and personnel in various criminal activities, including trafficking in illegal drugs and kidnap-for ransom and extortion, among many others. This tells us very clearly that drastic measures should be undertaken to cleanse the PNP of bad eggs who bring disrepute to the institution as a whole.
“‹According to PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, there are 9,172 police personnel facing administrative cases ranging from tardiness and absenteeism to grave misconduct. Around 2,800 have so far been dismissed from the service for their involvement in crimes or for going AWOL or absent without official leave.
And the trend continues. Last week, Camp Crame said it would keep a close eye on policemen assigned to the New Bilibid Prison after two of them were caught trying to sneak liquor and tobacco into the national penitentiary. The two members of the National Capital Region Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) are said to be under investigation.
“‹The Camp Crame spokesman laments this turn of events thus: "This is saddening but we will not stop. This is a continuing challenge for us to reform the organization. Our reforms will continue until we instill discipline in our organization."
“‹Very well said, but how many times have we heard this from various Camp Crame spokespersons?
“‹President Rodrigo Duterte increased the pay of policemen so that they will not be tempted to stray from the straight and narrow path and uphold honesty and integrity in the uniformed service.
“‹But it appears that even with higher salaries for the lowest-ranked policeman to the PNP chief, the monkey business remains alive and well.
“‹Iron discipline is what the PNP needs if it hopes to retain the trust and confidence of the people.
“‹To be fair, if there are nearly10,000 cops facing administrative and criminal charges in an organization composed of 150,000 personnel, that translates to only .06 percent of its total manpower complement.
But for an organization that is supposed to serve and protect the citizenry, the 9,172 cops facing charges is way too high a number.
“‹One corrupt cop is one too many.
“‹I distinctly recall that during the Erap presidency, when there were almost-daily reports of misconduct and wrongdoing within the police force, there were calls from various sectors for the PNP to be abolished outright.
“‹Of course, you cannot just abolish the police force and leave the citizenry at the mercy of hardened criminals and assorted lawbreakers. “‹I believe there are dedicated men and women who are doing their jobs in the PNP and who truly uphold their sworn duty to serve and protect.
“‹Duterte should appoint as Albayalde's permanent successor someone whose integrity and competence are unquestioned. And yes, only after going his record with a fine-tooth comb. In the case of Albayalde, it would appear that his performance had not been properly scrutinized and his alleged cover-up of the misconduct of the men under his command went unnoticed, until the Senate hearing.
“‹The recruitment process should be reviewed and further tightened to prevent the entry of the unqualified and the incompetent—and the criminal-minded.
“‹Then perhaps there should be harsher penalties for police officers for violations of rules and regulations, even more so for those found guilty of involvement in outright criminal offenses.
“‹There's merit in the proposal to make the PNP Internal Affairs Service an independent body so it can investigate cases without having to be accountable to the PNP leadership.
“‹It's no secret that corruption is systemic in the PNP. We should not allow this situation to continue as this would only undermine the integrity and reputation of the entire police force whose responsibility is to compel obedience to the law.
ernhil@yahoo.com