Sunday, August 24, 2008 Police seek public support to enhance image By Jane Cadalig
THE Cordillera police are seeking the public's cooperation to enhance its image.
"Cleaning our ranks is not only a job of the police; we need the cooperation of the people to be able to attain our goal,” said Benguet Provincial Police Director Danilo Pelisco during Saturday’s public forum in the province.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) is conducting a massive information campaign on the transformation program of the Philippine National Police (PNP) aimed at increasing public awareness on the efforts initiated to improve the people's confidence in the law enforcement agency.
It would make police services better and responsive to the needs of the modern times.
The PNP Text Anti-Kotong project is one of the major components of the integrated transformation program.
This would fast-track police actions to reports involving irregularities committed by law enforcement personnel, by providing the police a ready communication access to police headquarters.
Kotong or extortion is the major source of corruption among members of the law enforcement group, PRO Community Relations Division Chief Arni Dean Emock said.
Pelisco said through constant reporting of extortion and such acts committed by PNP members will get these culprits punished.
The Cordillera PRO initiated the dialogue on PNP transformation with members of the transport sector, vegetable traders and village leaders in Benguet.
Miguel Luma-ang, president of the Federation of Jeepney Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) in La Trinidad, welcomed the PNP's move.
Asked if a text message from a driver would suffice to pin down an erring officer, Pelisco said the execution of a sworn statement is a requirement to attest to the veracity of complaints.
Luma-ang said most drivers often fail to execute affidavits.
"Mere text messages are considered hearsay. We need the affidavits of the drivers to back their complaints. This will help us a lot in our investigation. We should also consider officers must be subjected to due process before punishments are imposed on them," Pelisco explained.
Even drunk police officers should be reported, he said. "We will not tolerate drunkenness. We may not be able to apprehend them while they are drunk, but these offenses remain with the officer as long as their (irregular) acts are reported," Pelisco added.
Traders hauling vegetables from Benguet to Metro Manila and other lowland provinces meanwhile cleared Cordillera policemen of extortion, but sought the Cordillera PRO with regard to problems they encounter along their way to the lowlands.
