The Philippine National Police's (PNP) proposal to require police clearances for transactions with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) would result in another layer of bureaucracy and would just delay services to the people, Senator Joel Villanueva said on Saturday, April 24.
The senator, who chairs the Senate labor committee, disclosed his opposition to the proposal of PNP chief General Debold Sinas to require persons to secure a national police clearance (NPC) before transacting with the DOLE.
Sinas, in his letter to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, claimed that the NPC will help the DOLE "have a much broader information as to the character of an individual."
Villanueva, however, said such proposed requirement “is another layer of red tape that delays the prompt delivery of service.”
He added the PNP's proposal was "not only incredulous" but also runs counter to President Duterte’s orders against red tape.
Even Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra questioned the necessity of Sinas' proposal.
“What the President has ordered and what the people want is less red tape and not more of it. What the PNP is proposing goes against this,” Villanueva said.
“Why should a jobless OFW (overseas Filipino worker) wanting to get financial help from DOLE be required to detour to a police station? To me that is an unnecessary, costly, time-consuming stopover," he added.
He said workers in distress would only be dissuaded from seeking DOLE assistance if the NPC is first required.
“It’s not because they have records. But because of the hassle, fatigue, time and money they will spend,” Villanueva said.
It "is simply harebrained and just an added burden to workers," he added.
Besides, Villanueva said the DOLE’s mandate is to be a “help center” for workers.
"It is not an apprehension place for the police where they can set up a dragnet for people who have unfinished business with authorities,” he said.
There are "other, better ways" of apprehending people in trouble with the law, Villanueva said. “You go after them and not wait for them to walk into the precinct,” he told the police.
“A police permit is not needed to get help from DOLE,” Villanueva maintained.
Labor groups have earlier slammed Sinas' proposal, which came amid the reported profiling and red-tagging of unionists and activists.