PNP stops reassigning policemen to places where they live

November 23, 2020

The chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said they will stop implementing a program where policemen ask to be reassigned in the areas where they live.

In a press briefing, Police General Debold Sinas said there will be no next batch under the program.

“I already stopped it. We have procedures on how to transfer our personnel and they know what to do,” Sinas said.

“But those who have job orders will go… what we stopped is another batch (of the program),” he said.

Sinas said some cops revoked their re-assignment, telling him they were not the ones who requested it.

“I don’t know who is telling the truth but I authorized the DPRM (Directorate for Personnel and Records Management) that those who want to revoke the order and remain assigned in their present position are allowed,” he said.

As former chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Sinas said they were gravely affected by the program.

“Before I leave NCRPO, we see to it that the districts will mitigate the impact of the re-assigned cops. Right now, I momentarily hold it so that there will be no exodus of cops,” he said.

Sinas said the program poses a risk for policemen  as the country is still threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Around 5,000 cops go around in the whole country so it defeats the purpose of stopping the spread of COVID-19 and we are not also sure that those who went home are not infected,” Sinas said.

Sinas also said that it affects their anti-criminality program.

The program was implemented by his predecessor, retired Police General Camilo Cascolan.

Last October, DPRM said a total of 8,561 personnel expressed their intention to be reassigned to areas where they live. Ella Dionisio/DMS