By Francine Ciasico
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde expressed gratitude to Senator Panfilo Lacson for sponsoring Senate Bill 1898 which will give the PNP full authority in training police recruits.
PNP CHIEF DIR GEN. Oscar Albayalde (Mark Balmores/MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
“In line with the continued efforts of the PNP to reform and modernize, we are thankful to Senator Panfilo M. Lacson for filing SB 1898, which when passed into law, shall vest the PNP with full responsibility and accountability in training and honing our new recruits and personnel as they prepare to enter the police service,” said Albayalde in a media briefing on Monday.
According to Albayalde, the PNP had been long asking to acquire full control over the training of recruits so that they would be able to filter out potential rogue cops and to impose discipline on new police.
At present, the National Police Training Institute (NPTI) from the Police Public Safety College is in charge of the training. If Senate Bill 1898 will be passed, the PNP will gain full administration over NPTI.
“Each year the PNP is authorized by Napolcom to recruit an average of 10,000 personnel to replenish the ranks of personnel separated due to retirement and attrition,” Albayalde shared.
Last week, Lacson pushed for Senate Bill 1898 in order to help the organization identify and eliminate erring cops following the number of policemen relieved from their posts after being involved in various crimes.
“In past months, we have seen how police officers, many of them noncommissioned ones with the ranks of PO1 and PO2, had been involved in heinous crimes. It’s about time we revisit the law to make the PNP the premier educational and training institution for our policemen and policewomen,” Lacson said.
“With the transfer to the PNP of the training of police recruits, we can strengthen the foundation of a competent police force not just physically, but also morally,” he added.