- Bato urges PNP to revert back to military-like disciplinary actions vs errant cops
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Wednesday, March 8 urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to tighten its “prevailing disciplinary mechanism” against errant police officers, which he noted has become lenient in recent years.
Dela Rosa, during a Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing, recalled how the public raged over the case of former police officer Jonel Nuezca in 2021, where he figured in an altercation with Sonya and Frank Anthony Gregorio, at their home in Paniqui, Tarlac.
Nuezca’s gunning down of the mother and son after a heated verbal altercation became viral on social media.
“Sasabihin nila, kaya abusado ang pulis dahil dito sa prevailing disciplinary mechanism natin (The public is saying, that policemen are abusive because of our prevailing disciplinary mechanism),” said Dela Rosa, during a public hearing on Wednesday, March 8.
“Ngayon, gusto natin palakasin iyong (Now, we want to strengthen the) disciplinary mechanism ng PNP (of the PNP) by empowering commanders, the disciplinary authorities, whatever level, na pwede niyang i-hold iyong kanyang tao, kagaya ng isang sundalo, na kapag may ginawang kalokohan yung tao niya pwede niyang ikulong (where he can detain his people, similar to a military personnel, when he commits wrongdoing),” Dela Rosa said.
“Because, remember the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is a civilian organization, hindi sila military. But they are adopting the military law. The Articles of War, yan ang sinusunod nila ngayon (they are following the Articles of War even up to this day),” he pointed out.
The former PNP chief, recalled that when the PNP was previously under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), it was easy for commanders to discipline its ranks and hold their men accountable for violation of the Articles of War—the rules of conduct followed by military and naval personnel.
But when the PNP became purely “civilian in nature,” Dela Rosa lamented the need for the PNP to follow due process of civilian entities making it harder for the PNP to discipline errant cops.
“Dito tayo ngayon nagkakaroon ng problema. Hindi na natin basta-basta makukulong yung tao natin (This is where we have problems. We cannot just detain our own people). The most we can do is just to restrict them in camp,” he pointed out.
In response, National Police Commission (Napolcom) Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Alberto Bernardo said they will redefine the restrictions for errant police officers to be confined in their barracks.
If the errant cop still insists of going out of his barracks, the Napolcom will file insurbordination charges against the police officer, in addition to the criminal cases he is facing.
But Dela Rosa insisted filing insubordination cases against the police officer would still come out as “weak.”
“Dapat padlock talaga…Siguro ibalik natin dun sa sistema, na may power yung disciplinary authority to arrest, or confine or detain itong nang-abuso or suspect na pulis (He should be padlocked. Maybe we should revert back to the system were the disciplinary authority has the power to arrest, confine or detain the abusive or suspected police),” the senator insisted.
Dela Rosa then suggested to the Napolcom to work with the PNP in reviewing the latter’s disciplinary policies.