Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (left), La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V (PPAB)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for that matter should ensure the mental fitness of its personnel.

Deputy Majority Leader La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V and Assistant Majority Leader Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonta Adiong made this suggestion in the wake of the controversy caused by viral cop-vlogger Francis Steve Fontillas of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

Fontillas was slapped with an inciting to sedition charge for his "politically-charged social media posts" following former president Rodrigo Duterte's arrest last March 11 on the order of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Kailangan talaga ‘yun (That’s really needed). I think the PNP has to make a very strong measure in determining the psychological capacity of all the recruits. Kasi of course bibigyan mo ‘yan ng baril, bibigyan mo siya ng responsibility (Because of course you will give that person a gun, you will give him responsibility),” Adiong said in a press conference Thursday, March 20.

Adiong said Fontillas appeared to be a troubled man. “Nakita ko ‘yung portion ng kanyang video, ‘yung vlog (I've seen that portion of his video, the vlog). So I guess something is troubling this guy ‘no."

"I mean it's beyond his passion of vlogging. I think some something is not right. The choice, his choice of words...Something is troubling. I hope he finds the help that he needs,” he said.

Agreeing with his colleague, Ortega said the PNP, National Police Commission (Napolcom), and even the [AFP] and similar agencies should consider not only the physical fitness of recruits but their mental balance as well.

“Sabi ko nga, usually kasi po dyan ‘yung matibay po saka nakaka-last sa physical exam, nakaka-endure po dun sa physical side ng pagiging parte po ng kapulisan o ano man, Armed  Forces,” he said. 

“Siguro dito makikita natin na kailangan na rin pong bigyan ng weight saka emphasis po ‘yung other na criteria, like ‘yung on the mental side. Saka maganda po na yung evaluation nito is parang mas ano talaga…na mas may improvement or mas may stringent yung pagpili natin,” added Ortega.

(I think we can see here that we also need to put weight and emphasis on the other criteria, like on the mental side. It would be better if the evaluation on this aspect is improved or is more stringent.)

Adiong echoed PNP officials' assertion that police personnel must be non-partisan.

“If you're an officer, if you're a uniformed man, you’re uniformed officials, especially PNP and even civil servants, bawal po maging partisan (it's prohibited to be partisan). Ah, that's under the Constitution. That's under the Omnibus Election Code,” he said.

Adiong said even the Code of Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees prohibit government personnel from engaging in partisan political activities.

“I think within the PNP, you have to remain apolitical, they have to remain true to their mandate. They have to remain loyal to the government, to the flag and to the country. Whatever politics that they may have had personally…should not be used as a means to voice it out and then incite violence, because that is contrary to what they have sworn in as policemen,” he explained.