During President Rodrigo Duterte’s watch, he doubled the take home pay of men in uniform- meaning members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other uniformed personnel. That move cannot even said it was a clear vision with greater purpose. It was only based on high hopes. (inaasahan na titino na sila at mababawas ng maraming kotong cops). Many expected there will be less dirty cops. On the contrary. But what about when ranking officers got involved in a multi-billion drug mess? It is less surprising if non-commissioned policemen are involved. But generals and colonels? It proves Duterte’s approach is fundamentally wrong. How many times we heard about cleansing their ranks. Your fingers and toes are more than enough if you’re going to count on how many times you read or heard that.
In recent years, there was this the idea of reassigning police officers to their hometowns. If I remember it right it was then Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Camilo Cascolan who launched the agency’s localization program. With good reason as I observed then that this program will have a positive effect on the peace and order drive once it is in place. ( Ang isang pulis mahihiyang gumawa ng kalokohan sa sariling bayan, dahil kilala siya at kilala niya ang halos ng lahat). Cascolan said this program is being met with great approval from the corps.’ They will be with their spouses and expectedly they will be happy and do their jobs better, he added. Correct!
RETRO: There’s a saying when it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Before the passage of the law creating the PNP, the members of police corps were appointed by the town/city mayor. It was also the mayor who assigned ranks, promotions or demotions. There was no need for a college or even high school diploma. Cops weren’t required to undergo civil service examination. Most mayors during those years only ask if the applicant already fired a gun and know how to shoot. Those were the days when everyone knows everyone in town. The urban areas and the countrysides enjoyed tranquility. Until a certain general came up a study of integrating all police forces and thus the Philippine Constabulary Integrated National Police (PC-INP). Later the Philippine Constabulary was dissolved and it ended finally as PNP.
FURTHER DOWN THE MEMORY LANE: I was still in my shorts and the countrysides were far from peaceful. Huk Supremo Luis Taruc and bands of dissidents were all over central Luzon. The president was the the late Ramon Magsaysay. The town mayor of Porac was Higinio Gopez, and the town police chief was my father. Mayor Gopez handpicked my father because he was a USAFFE soldier who fought in Bataan. He was there in Bataan with fellow soldiers, holding fort. He was captured and was one of the thousands who endured the war. Luckily enough, despite malaria my father survived but was captured and was one those thousands who endured the death march. He was able to escape in Lubao.