IT IS ABOUT time that the Philippine National Police (PNP) did some 'house cleaning' as the organization's image and reputation have been compromised these past few days due to crimes ascribed to some of its members. But the house cleaning of the PNP does not end due to the malfeasance of some of its misguided members.
The Interior Secretary was reported to have ordered a lifestyle check on the entire police force (some 148,000 of them) after a police official involved in the September 1 robbery-abduction incident was found to have a net worth of P6.1 million but has an annual salary of only P605,133.
The lifestyle check would cover high-ranking police officials (star rank) starting from the PNP Chief Director General Alan Purisima and those policemen found to have millions of pesos in assets.
Which gives rise to suspicions that those policemen millionaires must have been engaged in illegal activities such as drug pushing, ssmuggling and kidnap for ransom so much that they could not amass such wealth with their meager salaries.
The house cleaning should be sustained and thorough to ferret out the undesirables and be prosecuted for their offenses.
The PNP spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, remarked that those of star rank will be the first to undergo the lifestyle checks. And rightfully so, because they are said to require their underlings to produce a quota, or funds for their personal use and in order to sustain their lavish way of living.
"This serves as an opportunity to protect the good name of the organization by eliminating suspicions and speculations of alleged ill-gotten wealth or involvement in criminal activities" said Sindac. Such rhetoric should be validated and proved true by time and honest-to- goodness lifestyle checks.
* * *
Such lifestyle checks or background investigations should be done in all government agencies and instrumentalities including local government units to ensure objectivity and attain transparency and accountability.
* * *
I received a very relevant and timely text message from Bien Mateo, Vice President for Operations of SM Supermalls at the height of the fury of typhoon "Mario", hitting Metro Manila and neighboring areas: "To all... In times of calamities, our malls offer temporary respite and a meeting point to families who may be unable to get to the place of residence in the areas where severe flooding is experienced, we provide parking spaces for the residents.
Overnight charges are waived". A generous offer indeed from the huge corporation practicing faithfully its corporate social responsibility!