CALOOCAN CITY, Dec. 25 (PIA) -- Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Wednesday said there is a need to amend the governing law on the country's national police force and strengthen the disciplinary powers of its top official amid the recent killings in Tarlac province involving an off-duty Parañaque City police officer.
In an interview, Dela Rosa said he will revisit Republic Act No. 8551 or the "Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998" for possible amendments to some of its provisions, especially those pertaining to the disciplinary powers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
"Legislative reform [ang] kailangan. We have to revisit RA 8551 talaga and strengthen the power, the disciplinary mechanism of the PNP, lalong lalo na 'yung chief PNP, kailangan talaga na magkakaroon ka ng isang chief PNP na kumpleto ng power na madidisiplina yung kanyang tao."
The senator and former top cop said that compared to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the PNP Chief's powers in imposing disciplinary actions to his erring personnel need to be strengthened.
"I will try to revisit the RA 8551, yung PNP Reorganizational Act, hahanapin ko yung mga provisions dyan na naglagay sa Chief PNP sa inutil na sitwasyon. Compare mo yung AFP sa PNP, ibang-iba yung kanilang disciplinary mechanism dahil sa sundalo, pag military nagkakasala, pwede ikulong kaagad 'yan ng kanyang commander. Sa PNP, hindi mo pwede ikulong hangga't walang kaso," Dela Rosa said.
"Halimbawa, nagkasala ang pulis kagaya kay Nuezca, kitang-kita ang ebidensya na binaril in cold-blood yung dalawa. Dapat ang Chief PNP, makapagbigay kaagad ng order na dismissed kaagad yang pulis na yan, summary dismissal. Pero sa PNP, yung summary dismissal proceeding, according to the NAPOLCOM, should take 30 days for them to afford the suspect due process. Kailangan natin ang due process talaga, pero 'dyan nagda-drag eh," he added.
Dela Rosa mentioned that he will look into amending the appellate procedures of the police force, which he said some rogue cops, with the help of some ill-intentioned lawyers, use to stay on the force or get back after being dismissed. This, according to Dela Rosa, perpetuates the problem. (PIA NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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