PNP says program to reorient cops involved in illegal activities will continue

July 3, 2019

The Philippine National Police ( PNP) on Wednesday said the transformation and reorientation of cops involved in illegal activities will continue.


This after 53 erring cops graduated from a 30-day Focused Reformation and Reorientation and Moral Enhancement for Police Officers in Line with Internal Cleansing Effort or FORM POLICE program.


Of the 53, six were police commissioned officers while 47 were non-commissioned from different stations and units nationwide.


"While I'm the chief PNP, we will show no mercy to those people committing illegal activities in our ranks," Police General Oscar Albayalde said in his speech during the closing ceremony of the program at Subic.


The PNP chief said they are not calling the personnel who undergo training "bad cops".


"That's why we have transformation and you can be integrated... committing a mistake is but human, we all made mistakes. But committing under mistake for similar mistakes, that is different (story)," said Albayalde.


"I hope you understand our program. As I've said during my assumption... I will not demand of you what I can't demand for myself... do what is right, otherwise if you do something wrong, you will be dismissed.'' he said.


Albayalde said he knows no one would want to take this training program.


"Based on the reaction I heard from this class. I know and I'm sure all of you are wondering why you took up this course. This is probably the only training in the PNP that nobody would want to take," he said in his speech at Subic.


"While 30 days may not be enough to reform a person, I hope the process was able to awaken each of you the realization that there are no future for rogue cops and scalawags in our organization," said Albayalde.


He told the police officers to consider themselves fortunate on undergoing reformation and restorative training under the PNP's internal cleansing program.


"Actually, you consider yourselves lucky. It's because most of our personnel who commits mistakes or let's say illegal activities either suspended from service or dismissed or demoted from their ranks," he said.


The PNP chief said character transformation and culture change is needed in the organization.


He told the police personnel in the event he does not accept family problems as reason for them to go absent without leave.


Albayalde said if he can only decide on the matter, he will not reinstate cops whose reasons are family problems recalling what he did during his time as regional director.


"If you will only be guided by our pledged, police officer's pledge, what is stated their? I will love and served God, my country and people," said Albayalde.


"If you cannot handle the family problem, how can you handle your work as a police officer?... I cannot accept that reason... it's up to us how we handle our work, our service and our family. You just have to balance that," he added.


Albayalde said he does not want this officers to undergo under training.


"I hope the lessons you have will served as constant reminder for you stay in the right path and serve with dignity and integrity," he said.


In an ambush interview after the event, Albayalde said police personnel who undergo training did minor offenses that can be corrected.


"Some of them were considered AWOL ( absent without leave) for a few days then leave and then return. So these are (some offenses) we can restore... some were absentism, tardiness and failure in handling documents," he said.


"We really need transformation of the Philippine National Police," he said.


Albayalde said there will be a next batch of cops who will undergo training. Ella Dionisio/DMS