Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday said he has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to tighten measures that will instill discipline among its ranks in the wake of cops shooting civilians to death, including two incidents caught on video that went viral on social media in a span of six months.
“My guidance is for the PNP leadership and chain-of-command to strictly supervise their men and instill discipline in the ranks,” Año said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
“Review the SOP (Standard Operating Procedures)/Protocols on police officers who are off duty. Fast-track/expedite resolution of pending cases and continuously account personnel with cases who are stationed at holding units,” he added.
Año also instructed the PNP to conduct periodic neuropsychiatric tests as well as necessary counseling programs for concerned police officers in all units.
PNP Chief General Guillermo Eleazar acknowledged the need for regular neuropsychiatric tests for all police personnel amid growing reports of incidents of violence involving police officers.
In a statement, Eleazar said the PNP is “seriously considering” the tests given the nature of duty of the police while underscoring its limited resources for these tests.
“The PNP will study this recommendation of subjecting our personnel to regular psychiatric assessments or tests… However, I would also have to admit the limitations, at present, in our healthcare capacities and services,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights on Thursday said it regretted the new position of the Palace preventing the full and unqualified access to cases involving alleged extrajudicial killings, most by the police, linked to the government’s drug campaign.
“The new statement from the government is a setback just when the Philippine National Police has already agreed to open around 7,000 cases to the Department of Justice for investigations. The recent developments made by DOJ and PNP would have been a start in demonstrating a functional justice system if not for this new roadblock,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.
“However, at this point, we note that it is still uncertain if the case files of the around 7,000 cases in question, as well as other government records pertaining to rights violations, will be shared to the CHR for its own independent probe,” De Guia said.
The police will also study ways to make these tests available for all of their personnel, which include partnerships with institutions and facilities that advocate the importance of mental health.
Eleazar said this after Police Master Sergeant Hensie Zinampan shot to death his neighbor, Lilibeth Valdez, 52, in Quezon City.
In December 2020, another police officer from Parañaque City, Jonel Nuezca was also caught on video fatally shooting mother and son Sonya Gregorio, 52, and Frank Anthony Gregorio, 25, in Paniqui, Tarlac.
At present, Eleazar said neuropsychiatric tests are only mandatory for promotion in the police organization and schooling requirements.
Unit commanders, through their station health units, can only request the test for their uniformed personnel if they notice an emotional or mental imbalance among their staff.
“Until then, our police commanders who observe signs of emotional imbalance or mental disorder on their men should immediately refer them for neuro-psychiatric evaluation, through their respective health units,” Eleazar said.
“This way we can help them cope and heal and avoid being a danger to themselves and others,” he added.