THE Philippine National Police (PNP), under the leadership of Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., is shifting its internal cleansing strategy from a punitive approach to a preventative strategy to stop police misconduct before it even begins.
In a statement Friday, January 23, 2026, Nartatez said this new direction is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla to ensure a disciplined, professional, and syndicate-free police force that serves the Filipino people with absolute integrity.
The top cop emphasized that while the PNP has dismantled major criminal syndicates within its ranks, the focus must now remain on long-term sustainability.
At present, the PNP leadership is institutionalizing early detection programs, including mandatory ethics training and psychological assessments.
“Prevention is better than cure. We have shifted our focus on preventive and early interventions to strengthen the moral and spiritual foundation and instill discipline and integrity among our personnel,” Nartatez said.
“Sa pamamagitan ng mas mahigpit na screening, continuous training, at psychological assessments, nakikita natin ang mga posibleng risk factors bago pa man magkaroon ng mali (Through stricter screening, continuous training, and psychological assessments, we can identify possible risk factors even before anything goes wrong). We also have integrity monitoring and mentorship programs to guide young officers toward professionalism,” he added.
The shift comes as Remulla announced that integrity in the PNP has been restored since the police organization was cleansed of syndicates and ninja cops.
“The PNP recognizes that a corruption-free police force cannot exist in isolation. Kaya nakikipagtulungan kami sa local communities, barangay councils, at civil society organizations para sa transparency initiatives at reporting mechanisms,” Nartatez explained.
To further support these changes, Nartatez is also expanding the use of technology in high-risk operations, including the wider deployment of body-worn cameras and GPS tracking to create digital audit trails.
He said such tools are designed to protect both the public and the integrity of honest officers.
Nartatez assured the public that the internal cleansing will not waver and the organization remains committed to a police force that is not only feared by criminals but trusted by every citizen. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)