Lawmakers were split on President Rodrigo Duterte’s proposal to revive the Philippine Constabulary, which Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said was a dreaded trademark of Martial Law.
But Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said the PC will help the Armed Forces of the Philippines combat terrorism and criminality.
“We really need a fourth military branch dedicated solely to quashing internal threats. This way, the three existing service commands—the Army, Navy and the Air Force—could concentrate entirely on external threats,” said Pimentel, a member of the House committee on national defense and security.
“Our sense is that the President is not inclined to field existing military forces to suppress the escalating threats from the inside, particularly terrorism and illegal drug trafficking. That’s why he wanted the return of PC as the fourth military group with civil duties,” he added.
Lagman, however, cautioned against bringing back the PC, which was merged with the Integrated National Police to form the Philippine National Police in 1991.
The lawmaker said several abuses during the Martial Law period were blamed on the now defunct PC.
“The plan of President Rodrigo Duterte to revive the Philippine Constabulary [PC] is a vestige of Martial Law even as it is unconstitutional,” Lagman said.
“It must be recalled that the late President Ferdinand Marcos extensively used the PC as the police force in implementing Martial Law by arresting, detaining and torturing the victims of atrocities during the Martial Law regime as well as the takeover of private establishments and media outlets,” Lagman added.
Pimentel, however, said the Philippines needs the PC just like France needs the Gendarmerie Nationale, Italy needs the Carabinieri, and Spain needs the Guardia Civil.
“As a matter of policy, we understand the President wants the Army, Navy and the Air Force to focus totally on their primary role to secure the national sovereignty and territory against foreign threats,” Pimentel said.
The country remains in a state of emergency following a bombing in Davao City that claimed the lives of 15 people and left 70 others wounded.