Policemen who are assigned near their hometowns have the tendency to behave, national police chief Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan said on Wednesday as he led the send-off of 2,232 policemen under the localization of police assignment program of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Cascolan explained that there will be more policemen who would be re-assigned to their hometowns or areas near their places of residences in the coming days as there are thousands more who already signified to avail of the program.
“if you assign yourself in other areas more than your areas of residence there is a tendency for you to abuse. They have to tendency to engage in extortion and to enrich themselves because they have no families to think of while doing their illegal activities,” said Cascolan.
But for policemen who are assigned to their hometowns, the official said the tendency is to behave because of the connections they have to the area where they grow up and now serving as police officers.
Cascolan said that aside from boosting the morale of the police by assigning them near their residence, the localization program is actually based on the existing PNP Law and the provisions of the Civil Service Commission.
He, however, said that they will not implement the program at the expense of the areas where the policemen are currently assigned. He said the re-assignment will only be done if there are replacements.
The localization program earlier raised concerns among the local chief executives especially in Metro Manila for fear that the program would result in the reduction of policemen assigned in their areas.
Cascolan also argued that the program is to the advantage of both the policemen and the community they would be re-assigned.
“I have experienced it. We will not do this if we have not studied this or researched it. We will not do this if we have not even experienced this,” said Cascolan.
Currently, the PNP leadership is processing the applications of policemen who already signified the intention to go back to their hometowns.