PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa reminded his men on Saturday, February 22, to be more careful and sensitive in issuing directives particularly through memorandum, which concerns a particular sector of the community.
“I will be reminding my colleagues to be very careful a lot of people are now oversensitive on a lot of things,” Gamboa said in a press conference at the Baguio City Police Office.
Gamboa acknowledged the importance of the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
He made the statement following the reported “profiling” of Muslim students in Metro Manila which drew criticisms from several group organizations.
National Capital region Police Office (NCRPO) director Major General Debold Sinas clarified that the memorandum about the updated list of Muslim students in Metro Manila was not for profiling but for the purpose of statistics for the Salaam Police Center in order for them to conduct interventions and programs in strengthening its partnership with the concerned community.
Instead of pursuing the memorandum, Sinas said he now ordered the conduct of meetings and dialogue with Muslim youth leaders.
Gamboa said the issuance of such memorandum was “misinterpreted.”
However, he said the incident will serve as a wake-up call for the PNP. (SunStar Philippines)