By Aaron Recuenco
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is seeking the assistance of the Catholic Church for its program to reform erring policemen through moral and spiritual training programs.
PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde (PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN)
PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said he personally sought the assistance of the Catholic Church in his meeting with Manila Archbishop Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Tuesday.
Last week, the PNP leadership launched a new approach in internal cleansing program for policemen who committed minor offense, calling it a reformative approach.
Under the program, policemen who committed minor infraction would be grouped together and would be sent to a training facility in Subic, Zambales.
“This is one way of changing the attitude kaya sabi ko nga ito (that’s why I said this) is more intimate, more personal. Included in this is their spiritual values formation,” said Albayalde.
“We have stakeholders, non-government organizations na nandito (who are here), especially from the religious sector that would guide our policemen,” he added.
Albayalde said the program would complement the ongoing internal cleansing program which is tough on policemen who committed grave offenses but would try to save erring cops who just committed minor infractions.
The restorative approach, according to Albayalde, would be a way of early intervention on erring cops before they became a full-time scalawag cop.
“This program will focus on those who were reprimanded, suspended and was meted with forfeiture of salary as a penalty. They can be restored. As I have been saying, we have to prioritize those who could be restored and reintegrated in the organization,” said Albayalde.
The Catholic Church, on the other hand, has been very supportive in helping the PNP in its values formation program.