The Philippine National Police – the Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas – celebrates its 27th founding anniversary today, January 29, 2018. The PNP was formed in 1991 with its first chief, Cesar P. Nazareno, with the merging of Philippine Constabulary and the Integrated National Police by virtue of the Republic Act 6975 of 1990, the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990.
The PNP is administered and fully controlled by the National Police Commission (Napolcom), under the umbrella of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Local police officers are operationally controlled by municipal mayors except during the 30 days immediately preceding and following any national, local, and barangay elections where the local forces are under the direct supervision and full control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The DILG organizes, trains, and equips the PNP for the performance of the certain functions of the police as a force that is national in scope and civilian in character.
PNP handles operational units such as: Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup), Special Action Force (SAF), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Maritime Group (MG), Intelligence Group (IG), Crime Laboratory (CL)/Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG), PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), Police-Community Relations Group (PCRG), Highway Patrol Group (HPG), Civil Security Group (CSG), and PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG).
In June, 1999, PNP created a national Internal Affairs Service (IAS) headed by the inspector general, an organization within the structure of the PNB, and one of its tasks is to help the chief institute reforms to improve the image of the police through assessment, analysis and evaluation of the character and behavior of PNP personnel.
PNP has an academy named the Philippine National Police Academy in Silang Cavite which serves as the premier training academy for the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Fire Protection.
With its mission to enforce the law, prevent and control crimes, maintain peace and order, and ensure public safety and security, PNP is striving to serve the community better. However, it requires the active support of the community, especially now, on their very challenging role to prevent the proliferation of drugs in the country.
We congratulate and we salute the police forces for their unwavering efforts to maintain pace and order in our beloved country. Mabuhay kayong lahat!