PHILIPPINE National Police acting chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered a full review of the agency’s disability discharge policies to ensure fair, updated, and responsive support for police officers who suffer life-altering injuries in the line of duty.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, Nartatez said the order is part of the internal reforms to ensure that wounded law enforcement personnel receive the recognition, benefits, and opportunities they rightfully deserve.
He said this is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. not to abandon uniformed personnel after serving the country well.
Marcos issued the directive in response to a viral video posted by an Army captain who went blind after an explosion in line of duty and is being subject to forced retirement.
The President ordered the Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to reassess and strengthen its disability discharge rules.
Nartatez directed the PNP Health Service and the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) to begin an audit of existing disability discharge procedures, focusing on outdated provisions, gaps, and areas for improvement.
“With the instruction of the President, we are now looking at our procedures to ensure they are updated, fair, and responsive. Kung kailangan ng parallel review, handa po ang PNP na gawin ito,” he said.
Under Section 73 of Republic Act 6975 or the DILG Act of 1990, PNP personnel who incur “total permanent physical disability” in the line of duty may be retired or separated depending on years of service.
The procedures and standards for disability-benefit claims are governed by implementing rules from the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
As part of the review, Nartatez said the PNP will engage in consultations with the DILG and other security agencies to harmonize disability ratings, medical evaluation standards, and benefit computations across the uniformed services.
“We are open to harmonization. Importante na magkakatugma ang protocols para mas consistent ang pagtrato sa ating mga sugatang personnel,” he said.
He also instructed units to identify administrative, technical, and support roles that may be filled by police officers who are no longer fit for field deployment but remain capable of serving.
“Marami po tayong tasks na hindi field-related pero critical sa operations. Kung medically unfit for combat ang isang pulis pero may kakayahan pa, we want to retain them so they can still contribute meaningfully,” he added.
The acting PNP chief reiterated the organization’s commitment to improving welfare programs for injured personnel including medical care, financial assistance, counseling, and reintegration support.
“May existing benefits po tayo. But beyond that, we want our officers to feel na hindi sila nakakalimutan ng organisasyon. Ang serbisyo nila ay hindi mawawala, and we make sure they receive the recognition they deserve,” Nartatez said.
“Malinaw ang mensahe ng Pangulo na hindi natin pababayaan ang mga nag-alay ng buhay para sa bayan. The PNP fully supports this. This strengthens our resolve to recognize and honor police personnel who were injured or permanently disabled while serving the public,” he added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)