Miriam urges reorganization of Napolcom

Urging the police to shape up, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago filed a Senate bill that aims for the immediate reorganization of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) as a solution to improve the performance of the country’s police force in the wake of Monday’s bloody hostage-taking incident.

“The entire Philippine National Police is in crisis and the situation calls for drastic measures. Considering the increasingly disturbing and controversial police-related incidents reported in the past weeks, I can only assume the worst is yet to come. Our police officers should shape up or ship out,” Santiago said.

Santiago was referring to the reported torture practices by police in Tondo, and the alleged police involvement with the death of carnapping suspect Ivan Padilla.

“The incidents and reports keep getting worse. They even made international headlines. The PNP should get its act straight for our countrymen and redeem itself to the international community,” Santiago said.

Santiago’s Senate Bill No. 1748, or the National Police Commission Reorganization Act, aims to maximize the commission’s constitutional mandate to take charge of police operations and ensure the proper administration of areas of concern such as police education, communication, equipment, criminal identification, and criminal statistics.

“The quality of our police force depends on the hands that guide it. As peace and order is crucial our country’s socio-economic development, Napolcom should be much more than glorified nannies of cops,” Santiago said.

source:mb