NEW Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Marbil has issued an order to all his personnel not to use their cellphones while on duty so that they can focus on performing their duties, especially in preventing and responding to crimes and ensuring peace and order in their areas of jurisdiction.
The PNP Chief said that if police personnel are caught using cellphones, there will be no forgiveness.
"This is my first and last warning, no cellphone during duties. We need patrol, pagka nahuli ka namin nag-cellphone, there will be no forgiveness. Very strict kami diyan. Gusto namin duty, duty, kapag patrol, patrol. Andito ‘yung mga commanders natin. I need beat patrols, gusto ko maramdaman ng tao ‘yung mga pulis natin sa baba,” Marbil said.
(This is my first and last warning, no cell phones during duties. We need patrols, if we catch you using a cell phone, there will be no forgiveness. We are very strict about this. We want duty, duty, when on patrol, patrol. Our commanders are here. I need beat patrols; I want people to feel the presence of our police officers on the ground.)
Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO 7) Chief Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, stated that Marbil’s directive had already been implemented in the region even before he became the top police official.
He cited an instance where a police officer was relieved of duty after he was caught by General Aberin using his cell phone while on duty in the streets last January to provide security for Sinulog.
Among Marbil's directives is that police stations should be open 24 hours a day to anyone who shows up at dawn to report an incident.
However, Pelare stated that they have not yet received any complaints claiming that a police station in Central Visayas is closed at night.
"Number 1 police stations are not close, walay mag close nga police station, walay mamawong og suga, walay matug nga duty always ready sila, kanang pag close og station that’s an offense by itself. Another offense nga naa ka didto nya wala ka mag entertain sa mga tawo nga niadto because we are supposed to be 24/7," Pelare said.
(First and foremost, police stations should never close. Nobody should switch off the lights, sleep while working, or leave a station unattended. In fact, closing a station is an offense by itself. Another offense is if you are present but failed to entertain the people, as we are expected to be available around the clock.) (AYB, TPT)