Monday, October 16, 2006 Envoy’s report puts pressure on PNP
CAMP Crame has ordered all police offices to toughen internal reform programs of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
This, after PNP Chief Oscar Calderon received complaints from Saudi Arabia’s ambassador about abusive policemen “maltreating” Arabian nationals and harassing them “for the sole purpose of extorting money.”
Regional Operations and Plans Division Chief Carmelo Valmoria said this was not the first time that such concerns reached Calderon.
Director General Calderon, he said, also received complaints from foreigners on personnel threatening to arrest them if they did not give money.
Higher headquarters has instructed all directors to contain the problem by “weeding out rascals in the organization expeditiously,” and conducting lectures on moral and spiritual enrichment.
They were also told to constantly remind their men of their sworn duties as public servants.
“Their services are for free and not for sale,” Valmoria said.
The complaints has bothered Camp Crame officials, who said in a communiqué that attracting foreign tourists and investors is an economic strategy of the country that faces tough competition from other nations.
“With the stiff competition at hand, the PNP is fully supporting the government in this endeavor. The (creation) of Tourist Police or Top Cop is a living restatement to this.”
“The actuations of some PNP personnel towards foreigners are incompatible with the general sentiment of the PNP because such do not only scare away tourists but also potential investors,” stated the memorandum dated Oct. 13.
The Top Cop program was created to train policemen on how to be tourist-friendly while still doing their duties. (MEA)
