Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday, April 20, asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership to submit and implement plans to keep the police rank and file in tip-top shape and respected by the people or force him to fight for the reversion of mayors’ control over the police.
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO)
Gordon issued the challenge to PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas at the end of the public hearing by Gordon’s Blue Ribbon committee on alleged irregularities in the supply contracts of plates for motorcycles that killers riding in tandem use.
He told Sinas that he was the one who wrote the preface in the constitutional convention in 1950 and that he was against the creation of a national police system.
‘’I was against the creation of a national police system because once it becomes corrupt, the corruption is total. I would rather give it to back to the mayors who will answer to the people in the elections,’’ Gordon said.
If Sinas fails to submit his plans when Congress resumes regular session on May 17, Gordon said he would fight for the creation of a national police that would take care of heinous crimes, murders, bank robberies, among others.
What riled up Gordon was a report that two policemen fired their guns in Nueva Ecija. One is detailed in Manila and the other in another police outfit.
‘’That is out of line,’’ Gordon said after Sinas reported that the two policemen had been disarmed.
He told Sinas to ask Congress for a bill to grant him the power of immediate removal.
‘’I don’t care about due process for these people,’’ he stressed as they supposedly violated their social contract with the people.
‘’I am a lawyer...Give their minimum due process...When they cannot answer, remove them," he said.
"To the two policemen, we gave you a gun, we pay you, we gave you uniform. If you cannot protect us, you must be removed immediately, you are a menace to the country," the senator said.
When policemen become rogue, even if he is an officer, ‘’you take him out, come out with a quick way to remove people who kill people, judges priests, lawyers, balut vendor, that will be your legacy,’’ he added.
As a former Olongapo city mayor where the US had a military installation, Gordon told Sinas to use his imagination in enforcing ‘’non-judicial punishment’’ under the Navy Captain’s Mast.
‘’Why are so many policemen involved in drugs, many killings? I cannot understand why we cannot fix that,’’ he lamented.