(Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)




Senator Ramon ‘’Bong’’ Revilla Jr. has sought drastic changes in the Philippine National Police (PNP) to make its personnel more accountable, particularly when they meddle in local politics or allow themselves to become errand boys of political kingpins. This, among others, surfaced in the three-day public hearing by the Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee on killings, land-grabbing, extortion, and other acts of violence in Negros Oriental, the turf controversial Congressman Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. The inquiry was triggered by the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and the death of seven others in Degamo’s residential compound in Pamplona town. Senator Ronald ‘’Bato’’ dela Rosa, committee chairman, says there is a "reign of terror" in Negros Oriental. Revilla is suggesting that local government officials should not be allowed to meddle in the appointment of provincial and town or city police officials to shield them from political influence. ‘’I can only imagine the disappointment and frustration of our chairman who is a former PNP chief – pero (but) when the police suddenly loses its capacity to investigate and perform a very basic and simple task of identifying a person in custody, it indicates a failure of the organization,’’ Revilla said. ‘’Kapag yang suspect na ‘yan ay mismong kabaro pa pero hindi inusisa at nakilala, mas malalim na ang problema (When PNP personnel do not investigate or even know their fellow policemen linked to a crime, the problem is deep). Higit pa diyan Mr. Chairman, ‘tila ang pulis mismo ay takot sa mga personalidad na naghahasik ng lagim (What is troubling is when the policemen themselves are afraid of political personalities who spread terror),’’ he pointed out. ‘’This is what we should address Mr. Chairman. What policy can we enact to further capacitate our police officers and to ensure that their independence as an institution isn't compromised? Maybe yung pagrerekomenda (when when we recommend) amendment sa (to the) Local Government Code to isolate the appointment of local PNP officers from LGU officials is one step,’’ he added. ‘’We should equip our law enforcers so that they would not be intimidated by threats or influenced by those in power. Their hands should not be tied to the point that they do not have any other choice but to simply obey those in power instead of upholding the rule of law,’’  he explained. He also expressed concern on the probable connection of retired or discharged soldiers in killings. About 10 suspects in the Degamo killing were supposedly former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) soldiers trained in the art of warfare. “So ano ang gagawin nila pag wala na sila serbisyo? (So what do they do when they are out to service?) Is this a failure of the service and the government na basta na lang sila pakakawalan sa lipunan (what should be done when they are mixed with the general population) when they are separated? Lalo pa kung (particularly when they) are dishonorably discharged – basta na lang sila ilalarga (we let them be) a problem of the community as long as they are no longer a problem of the service? ‘’Aside from the obvious intense and rabid political conflicts we have unearthed, ito po so far yung systemic problems (So far this is the) that I see that we need to address,’’ he added.