THE title of a news story from a national daily reads, “‘Ang Probinsyano’ brouhaha: PNP to stop lending equipment.”
The news story further reveals that while the Philippine National Police (PNP) assured the public that not taking steps to censor the television show “Ang Probinsyano” it will, however, withdraw its logistical support.
So by its own admission, the PNP is apparently and voluntarily assisting a television show by providing logistical support such as firearms and vehicles that are used as props, shooting locations within and surrounding police offices and headquarters as well as even a security contingent for the production outfit.
If that is the case then the public has a right to call for an investigation on why the PNP has authorized the unwarranted use of guns and police vehicles, and even police stations for television dramas when these equipment and facilities are government property and should be utilized only for the purposes for which they are originally intended.
The argument by the PNP expressed through its spokesperson Chief Superintendent Benigno Durana when he stated, “Our primary concern is just to protect the institutional integrity of the PNP, which is being maligned by the projection (in the Ang Probinsyano teleserye) that majority of the PNP is corrupt,” cannot be reasonably defended nor believed considering that the organization has allowed itself to be used in the first place.
Where is the integrity in that?
In fact if the logistical support originally provided by the PNP to the “Ang Probinsyano” teleserye is a regular practice done by the premier law enforcement organization then something must be wrong with the very system that is supposed to offer protection and safety to the public.
Even if the primary intention of the PNP, in providing logistical support to the teleserye, is to project and advertise an image of professionalism and integrity the venue that they chose is simply wrong considering that, again by their own admission, the television show is mere fiction and does not reflect the true image of the PNP.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) hit the proverbial nail in the head when it earlier announced the threat to sue the show’s production outfit for alleged improper use of the PNP insignia and uniform. But shouldn’t the DILG also take to the task the PNP itself for allowing by lending the use of its PNP uniforms and insignia in the first place.
Apparently, the DILG failed to appreciate the significance of the “brouhaha” by being blind to the fact that government property has been used for a purpose other than that for which they were intended. For that alone, those responsible for allowing government property to be borrowed or lent to a television production outfit should be held liable for either an administrative or criminal offense.
The PNP has only itself to blame for the controversy.