Inside Philippine politics & beyond

Policing the Police

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[I would like to share this article which remains relevant today, although written over a year ago by Alan Robles. I would like to thank D+C, the monthly publication funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, for allowing me to publish this.]

The police’ official motto is “we serve and protect”. Filipinos might well ask – whom?

By Alan C. Robles

On 23 November 2009, 58 people were kidnapped and slaughtered in Maguindanao province, southern Philippines. Women in the group were raped, shot and mutilated. The bodies were buried by use of an earthmoving construction tractor. At least 34 of the victims were journalists. This was the worst media atrocity in the country’s history.

Not only did police fail to stop the well-organized massacre – they took part. Policemen, accompanied by hundreds of armed civilian “volunteers”, blocked the convoy the victims were in and directed it to the killing ground. Of the 196 people now being tried for the crime, 61 are from the Philippines National Police (PNP).

The Ampatuan Massacre, named after the warlord clan accused of perpetrating it, bloodily drove home the central problem of the PNP. It is institutionally weak and subservient to local politicians. A 2005 study of the 137,000-member PNP done by the UNDP points out that “the authority being exercised by local government units over the internal operations and decision-making of the PNP creates an environment extremely vulnerable to undue politicization of the police force.” Rather than enforce the law, policemen end up enforcing the will of a local leader.

Police on the wrong side of the law

According to Jesse Robredo, secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) “the problem, in varying degrees, has existed for a long time”. It’s a huge problem but far from being the only one. Beset with poor training, scant equipment and corruption, law enforcers have a dismal record. Far too often, they are on the wrong side of the law.

In late 2009, a video surfaced of a Manila police officer torturing a prisoner to death. A few months after, another policeman was charged with raping a female prisoner. Higher up the command chain, last year, the government filed corruption charges against a group of former and active PNP officers involved in a 2008 trip to Moscow where one of the officers was caught carrying € 105,000 in undeclared cash.

Even when the cops spring into action to do their jobs, they can be catastrophically inept. Last August, in Manila, a gunman – a sacked police officer – held a bus full of tourists from Hong Kong hostage. The PNP’s rescue attempt went disastrously wrong. A bumbling, slow-motion assault led to a shootout that killed eight of 25 hostages, as well as the kidnapper.

Organized crime, however, is hardly impressed by law enforcers in the Philippines. At the start of this year, the PNP proclaimed it would crack down on “car-nappers” – armed violent gangs who snatch vehicles by stopping them and forcing the owners out. Rather than duck their heads and go into hiding, the gangs responded by continuing to hijack cars the week after the announcement.

After a bomb explosion killed five aboard a passenger bus in Manila in late January, the Australian embassy issued a travel warning about “the high threat of terrorist attack and the high level of serious crime”. This was certainly not an endorsement of police capacities.

Statistics show that PNP capabilities are indeed limited. According to the UNDP study, over 20,000 PNP members did not have firearms in 2004. Those who did were issued only 28 rounds of ammunition for one year, with another 10 for marksmanship training. While it needed 25,000 handheld radios, the PNP only had 2,280. This January, a paper surfaced showing that in nine of the country’s 15 regions, nearly 80?% of police investigators have had no formal training.

In 2009, the research firm Pulse Asia conducted a poll. The results showed that respondents considered the PNP the country’s second most corrupt government agency, after the Department of Public Works and Highways. A 2006 survey by the Social Weather Stations, a research institute, showed that public confidence in the police was “very bad”. In 2007, the rating was “bad”, and in 2008 “poor”. Trying to put the best spin on the matter, the PNP spokesman in 2008 claimed the ratings at least were “improving” and the police was “slowly regaining the trust of the community”.

The question is: was there ever any trust to begin with? Philippine law enforcement’s traditions are rooted not so much in crime-fighting as in politics, repression and suppression of dissent – with no particular regard for due process or human rights. Centuries of colonial rule followed by decades of authoritarianism under a dictator have left their mark. Democratization in the late 1980s only changed one thing: The police no longer served national leaders, but became subordinate to local politicians (see box).

In a 1987 essay, political scientist Benedict Anderson famously described the Philippines as a “cacique democracy”, a political system based on competing oligarchs drawn from a few rich and powerful families. The clans legitimize their hold on power by dominating provincial and local elective offices. To win them they use methods summed up by another famous phrase: “Guns, goons and gold.” Local police and private armies – goons – play a key role in these elections, which can be bloody and murderous. The Ampatuan Massacre was actually one clan’s way of preventing another from registering its candidate. The scale of atro­city and brutality were staggering, but the barbarity was not new. In 2007, in a town near Manila, a police inspector and accomplices set fire to a school being used as a voting precinct, killing three people trapped inside.

Between elections, mafia-controlled police protect or even run unsavory activities such as drug dealing, kidnapping, car-napping and illegal gambling. This is possible because, as political analyst Miriam Coronel Ferrer writes, the Philippines is a “weak state”. She explains: “A state is weak when its capacity to exercise ‘social control’ is not only low but also fragmented. There is no rule of law. The national government cannot convincingly enforce order and exercise governance, especially in peripheral areas.”

As Ferrer explains, the Ampatuans enriched themselves, built a private army, suborned the police and terrorized Maguindanao. This was made possible through the assistance of then President Gloria Arroyo, who needed the clan’s support in Congress, plus the votes it could deliver in elections. “Local bosses are able to entrench themselves to become political dynasties by ‘holding the fort’ for the center. In turn, they are able to get a slice of the national state’s resources and powerful protection.” Under the Arroyo administration, “local governments were heavily encouraged to procure arms and organize militias to fight those opposed to the government.”

A new administration

The new administration under President Noynoy Aquino, who was elected last year, promises change. Interior Secretary Robredo says: “We will not allow the police to be used for partisan and political purposes.” He argues that reform is possible: “You need two things: an administration truly interested in reform, and a national government that doesn’t tolerate this kind of thing.”

Robredo notes that the National Police Commission (Napolcom) appoints local officers to supervise the police forces, and that it can withdraw such mandates: “If they abuse their authority over their police force, we’ll remove operational supervision and control of the police from their hands.” He said the department has already done this in two or three instances. “One was a mayor reported to be protecting illegal loggers.” Secretary Robredo insists, however, that it makes sense to put the police under the control of local governments. “The national government doesn’t have all the resources; a good local official, whose intentions are similar to those of the PNP, is really a good partner in maintaining peace and order.” He asserts that “by and large most of our local officials help the police and provide them logistical support”.

This year, the Aquino administration has budgeted two billion pesos (equivalent of € 33.2 million) for acquiring new equipment for the police. It is continuing implementation of the “Integrated PNP Transformation Programme”, which is based on the findings of the UNDP. The Department of Interior and Local Government has also undertaken a cleanup of the PNP. As of January, Robredo said, 175 policemen had been dismissed – more than half of them for involvement with illegal drugs.

Whether any of these efforts will change the performance of the police, or increase its standing in the eyes of the public remains an open question. The challenges are daunting – and political at heart. Political analyst Ferrer says: “We have to strengthen and insulate the state institutions from the machinations of the national leadership, transform the orientation of local governments and wean them away from presi­dential patronage; and put a stop to political violence through the rule of law.“ 

A history of suppressing people

Spain ruled the Philippine archipelago as a colony for slightly more than three centuries, and its police ensured the good behavior of the natives. The colony’s premier unit, formed in 1868, was the Guardia Civil, peacekeeping soldiers independent of the military.

According to Quennie Ann Palafox of the National Historical Institute, the Guardia Civil could “arrest men who were only under suspicion” as well as those “they deemed undesirables”. The Guardia was notorious for its abuses: Palafox notes that during the revolution against Spain, the unit “killed indiscriminately … they detained and tortured suspected rebels.”

When, in 1899, the United States grabbed the Philippines from Spain and beat down Filipino resistance in a savage war, the Americans set up what historian Alfred McCoy calls a “colonial security apparatus”. In 1901, they established the Philippine Constabulary (PC), which in McCoy’s words was“a long-arm mobile police with the dual mission of counterinsurgency and colonial intelligence”.

The PC, a paramilitary national police force, continued to exist after the US departed in 1946, becoming a branch of the Philippine armed forces. It continued its “pacification” role, this time against a communist insurgency that has not been entirely beaten even today.

In 1973, Ferdinand Marcos, the dictator-president, created a parallel force, the Integrated National Police (INP) to take charge of municipal policing. Under a single commander, both the PC and INP went on to attain heights of infamy. Marcos used the combined agency as an instrument of repression and wholesale abuse of human rights; police units rounded up dissidents, political opponents and suspects, torturing and killing with a free hand. It was under this regime that the word “salvaging” – murder by police – became notorious.

A few years after Marcos was chased out of the country in 1986, the PC-INP was disbanded and replaced by the PNP, which was placed under the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). The new arrangement asserted civilian authority and also gave local governments more say in law enforcement. But it also shifted the pattern of police abuse from a national to a local level. Police­men were coerced or enticed into joining the power apparatus of provincial warlords.(ar)

This article on the Philippine National Police was first published here.

Comments

  1. Suggestion:

    The PNP (Philippine National Police) website (http://pnp.gov.ph/main/ ) has an email facility for sending “reliable criminal activity information” ( http://pnp.gov.ph/main/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=1&Itemid=140 )

    It would be good if we can find out how the system is working. Maybe some of those who have already posted their experiences in this blog can email the same to the PNP. Then they can share the outcome to Raissa and maybe Raissa can also write about it, like she did with her experience accessing the Congressmen’s SALNs. (For Raissa’s consideration, of course).

    If the outcome is positive and the information sent is acted on, then that may encourage more people to send information to the police. If negative or not responded to at the very least, then that can be a call to action for the PNP and DILG leadership.

    For those like me, who are not in possession of any useful information for the police, at the moment, maybe we can call the attention of Secretary Robredo of the DILG with our concerns on the peace and order situation in our country. His email address (as found in the DILG website) is [email protected]

    As with the previous suggestion, we can also share whatever response we get from the Secretary either through a direct post in Raissa’s blog or an email to her as well so they all go to the same place and not scattered across blog topics. (Maybe Raissa can tell us what’s the best way to do this).

    At any rate, I have sent my email to Mr Robredo today. Let’s see what happens next.

  2. Bakit nga ba naging ganito ang condition ng kapulisan natin? Kasi nagagawa ng mga pulis ang ganitong mga kasamaan dahil nakakalusot sila. Sa kanila ay naging normal na ito dahil wala namang parusa mahuli man o hindi. Isang malaking dahilan kung bakit naging ganito sila ay ang mga leaders nila. Mas malalaking kawalangyaan ang mga ginagawa nila at nakakalusot din. Isang halimbawa ay si Garcia na hanggang ngayon wala pa ring justice. Kaya sasabihin ng pulis, kung sila nga mas malaki nakukulimbat tayo pa kaya. Kaya ang kulturang ito ng mga kapulisan natin ay naging kalakaran na. Subukan lang na magkarooon ng tunay na matinong lider ng kapulisan. Hulihin at ipakulong lahat ang mga gumagawa ng kalokohan, palagay ko ilang buwan lang tapos ang problema. Dapat lang magkaroon ng consistency. Ang mga Pilipino naman ay tutulong at tutulong kapag may nakikitang kaunting kasangga sa hanay ng kapulisan. Isang malaking halimbawa, itong CPM na sinimulan ni Raissa. Dahil nakakakita ng kaunting liwanag para sa kaunlaran ng Pilipinas ay maraming tao ang taos pusong gustong tumulong. Kita na naman natin ang ebidensya.

    I hope na mas lalo pang dumami ang gustong makitang maunlad ang Pilipinas sa pangunguna ni Ms. Raissa.

    Isang topic pa na gusto ko ring mabungkal ni Raissa ay ang traffic. Kitang kita na ang mga problema at alam na ang solusyon pero bakit parang walang nangyayari. Ito rin ang isang malaking dahilan kung bakit nagiging unproductive ang mga Pilipino. Napakalaking oras ang inuubos hindi pa kabilang ang inaaksaya nating gas dahil dito.

  3. Naalala ba ninyo anga kantang ito?

    May pulis, may pulis sa ilalim ng tulay-
    May pulis, may pulis sa ilalim ng tulay…
    May pulis, may pulis—
    May pulis, may pulis, may pulis sa ilalim ng tulay.

    NGAYON:
    May pulis, may pulis nagte-text sa tabi ng poste…
    May pulis, may pulis nagte-text sa tabi ng poste..
    May pulis, may pulis
    May pulis, may pulis, may pulis nag-te-text sa tabi ng poste

    • hahaha…tandaan ko kanta yan! Yun susunod…may pulis may pulis may pulis nag te te sex sa luob ng PRESINTOsex!

      • meron pa isa PULIS! PULIS T………..NG MATULIS. BOMBAY BOMBAY T……..NG MATIBAY. HEHEHEHE pero mas matulis at matibay ang pulis dahil marami silang mistress. yes or no? totoo or hindi? TOTOO!!!

        • Maybe, just maybe, one way of hurting a corrupt policeman is to impose a DEEP POCKET payment as punishment everytime a cop is found guilty of any crime or civil tort / damage, to the State and private persons.

          For example: for Crimes punishable up to 6 Years a FINE OF P150, 000.00;
          for Crimes punishable up to 12 Years a FINE OF P300, 0000.00; for Crimes punishable up 20 years a FINE OF P1, 000, 000.00; AND for a Crime punishable to Life Imprisonment or Death, a FINE OF P5, 000, 000.00.
          The law on crimes by policemen will need to be amended in relation to existing provisions on crimes by public officials, etc.

          For Civil Torts / Damages, damages of no less than P200, 000.00 up to P2, 000, 000.00 exclusive of all other form of money reimbursements, expenses and Costs. The acts will include official or non-official acts by the cop.

          These FINES and damages will constitute LIENS on all the assets or properties, real or personal, on every policeman found guilty or liable.

          Making this DEEP POCKET payment is a painful duty and lesson to be made by erring cops.

  4. If the old police system will be put back, barangays could be eliminated saving government expenses, portion of which could be added to police budget.anyway, Most barangay officials now are abusive and crooks themselves. Police Substations in every Barangay instead of barangay officials could improve peace and order. The other functions of barangay officials could be transferred to municipal or city offices. Less corrupt people in local government units would be the end result.

    There is no substitute to personal relationship between a peace officer and the citizen, present in the old system.

    • Johnny Lin @12

      Let us localize the police and strengthen the NBI in the provinces.  The personnel and equipment of the PNP should be fanned out in the localities (towns and cities) and do away with several layers of PNP offices.

      There must be an effective relationship and delineation of functions between the local police and the NBI.  Sophisticated equipment and qualified investigators from the defunct PNP may be absorbed by the refurbished NBI.

      Let us resurrect the old NBI and improve it to serve as the “national police” akin to the FBI in the United States. Moreover, the constitution authorizes the president to use the military in cases of lawless violence and other specific instances.

      Only a president with great political will can do the above, considering the numerous and strong objections that are expected to surface in the process of reorganizing the PNP and NBI. New laws would be enacted and more money would be allotted for such changes.  

      There is no need to amend the constitution which provides for a national police that is civilian in character.  The NBI is a civilian agency which basically performs police function.

      Now is the time for our president to act, considering his high credibility and popularity.

    • Barangay is a political element that is only useful as you say it is useful. It doesn’t do anything, in fact it is the most corrupt political environment we have. That’s the general feeling at least … for one there is no sense of service. In this small environment people strongly extends as a home, padrino-system is prevalent, it is where corruptions sow it seeds.

      I find it conflicting with the govt conditional cash tranfer (CCT) program. Barangay should have eradicated poverty long ago. I think thats 1 of the intention with barangay, for the govt to reach the people, for the services to reach the people, for the funds to reach the people… especially the poor.

      Instead, barangay became a bad political school that trains would be dictators and would be corrupt the tool they need to be able to jump into the next level… first is barangay, next the city.

      • It really depends.

        In our barangay, we are fortunate that the barangay captain responds to our needs.

        I think citizens have to know their rights and powers in relation to the local government units in order to harness them for the good of the community.

  5. Johnny Lin @1 

    Well said. Your excellent explanation would surely enlighten all CPMers.

    Your comment  is  very important to me because you placed things in proper perspective regarding my post @30 of “Dear Mr. President . . . “.

    Thanks a lot.

    • Both systems, old and new PNP have their own advantages and disadvantages. Disadvantage of the old was police were under control of mayors and governors, nepotism and favoritism in hiring. The advantage is less crime for the locals because known criminals are familiar to them, more dialogue and communications happen between them, problems are easily solved,less corruption because the policemen live within the community so they will be ashamed to amass wealth. Opposite effect is the new PNP system.

      Balancing both, it is better that at the end of the day the people are the beneficiaries. The mayors and governors could be changed by the people every 3 years so that should counteract the assumed control of local officials. Voters are savvy now in terms of violent mayors and warlords as well as the new automatic voting system, cheating during election might become impossible.

      “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”! assuming the old system was broke and fixed but the replacement is worst. Hence the solution is go back to the old since both systems have been tried and tested.

      Simple common sense. Its the police and DILG officials who are bucking the return to old system because they know their corrupt ways would be curtailed.

  6. Alan, MAGANDA ANG SINULAT MONG ITO. Parang kinalkal mo ang bahay ng mga nanahimik na langgam kaya naglabasan handang manganggat. Parang inangat mo ang takip sa kawali ng nagtatalsikan at kumukulong mantika. Maraming maasiwa sa alingasaw ng lalabas na amoy.

    • Survey para sa mga CPMers: MERON BA?

      Sino sa mga CPM ers (sarili niya, kapatid, magulang, at mga kaibigan) ang nabiktima ng pulis saan mang bahagi ng Pilipinas? Ikwento ng maigsi.

      Ako mismo at dalawang matalik na kaibigan (kaeskuela ko sa kolihiyo) taga probinsiya 1957 hinuli (JAYWALKING daw) ng pulis habang tamatawid ng Plaza Miranda MISMO from Villalobos St. puntang simbahan ng Quiapo.

      Ikinulong kami sa outpost sa tagiliran ng simbahan, matapos ang trenta minutos sa maliit na kulungan, pinalabas noong sarhentong amoy alak ang lahat ng aming pera, kinuha lahat ang pera namin. Nag iwan lang ng pamasahing pauwi. Kilala namin yung apat na pulis.

      Yung sarhento hindi ko malilimutan ang apelyido, kaya hangga ngayon sa isip ko yung mga ka-apilyidong nakakausap ko baka kamaganak noon hayop na pulis. Salamat sa Diyos, swerte kami, hindi grabe ang nangyari sa amin.

      Lalong magaling seguro ALAN para fair naman, kung ikwento din natin ANG MAGAGANDANG KARANASAN sa pulis na hindi tayo kilala o kaya hindi natin kadugo o kamaganak.

      • few years ago, pinasok yung bahay namin ng magnanakaw. nabawi ang mga nanakaw, kasama ang alahas at tinago sa police station upang ebidensya. ayun, nung binabawi na ng nanay ko yung mga ebidensya, nabutas daw yung plastic. sa cainta police ito a.

        in fairness naman, mabait naman yung iba. Presinto 7 ng Makati. na-holdup kasi yung FX namin nung Linggo, 3 lalaki, lahat may baril. inasikaso kami ng brgy at hinatid sa presinto. lunch time yun, pero inunang tapusin ang blotter. (wala pang news kung nahuli na yung bagong MO na yun, na nanggagaling sa East, cainta, patungong Ayala)

  7. MAS MASAHOL PA ANG TAKOT NG MGA MAMAMAYAN SA PULIS KESA SA MGA TALAGANG CRIMINAL. DAHIL WALA KA NANG HUSTISYA NA MAKAKAMIT PAGKA PULIS ANG IYONG KALABAN, DI BA SABI KO NOON NA ANG UNANG BAITANG NG CORRUPTION AY NASA PRESINTO NG PULIS. ANG MGA PULIS AY MAYROONG MGA ALAGANG MGA MANDURUKOT, MANDURUGAS AT MGA MASASAMANG ELEMNTO SA KALSADA. MAY NATATANGGAP SILANG PORSYENTO SA BAWAT BAGAY NA NAKUKULIMBAT NG MGA PULIS.

  8. Ang tanda ko nung maliit pa ako ang mga pulis ang tawag ay “alat,” hindi ko alam kung saan galing ang salitang ito. Ito ba ay sa asin, maalat ang pulis dahil malansa sila at kailangang “asinan.”

    Nuon kung driver ka at hinuli ka ng “alat,” pang-kape lang ang bigayan, siguro limang piso lang. Ngayon mga traffic enforcers na hindi naman mga pulis, pinakamababa ay isandaang piso.

    Bago mag martial law, di naman kinatatakutan ang kapulisan. Kinaaasaran, oo. Nung mag martial law duon umabuso ang kapulisan at buong militar. Duon sumulpot ang “metrocom – ini,” at duon sumulpot ang PANG AABUSO.

    Nuon ang mga pulis ay hawak ng mga meyor pero nagiging “private army” ng mga meyor, pero epektibo sa pagsugpo ng kriminalidad kasi si meyor kailangang sugpuin ang masasamang elemento sa ciudad niya at kung hindi ay MATATALO siya sa eleksyon.

    Tinanggal kay meyor ang kapulisan at ginawang NATIONAL kaya si meyor ligtas sa PANININISI ng taong bayan.

    Sino ang magpupulis sa kapulisan. Ang TAONG BAYAN! Dapat ang bawat ciudad o lokalidad ay may SHERIF na elektado ng taong bayan, gaya sa Amerika. Ang Sherif ay elektado kaya me takot sa taong bayan. Isang termino lang dapat para di umabuso.

    Ang Sherif ang point man. Me mga deputies din siya. Elektado siya at hindi under kay meyor at hindi din under sa DILG. Local government official siya.

  9. Policing in the Philippines is one of the worst in the World. I believe most 3rd world countries police are worst.
    The motto of TO SERVE AND TO PROTECT is mainly for the people in general not to the corrupt officials, their families, and PADRINOS.
    The following factors needed to improve the Policing:
    1.) BUDGET – the government has to provide a budget to ensure that law enforcements are getting paid a decent wage plus a decent benefits. This is to eliminate corruptions, or if not at least lessen it.
    2.) SYSTEM – modify the system and stick to it Have a step by step of things to do for every problems that may be arises.
    3.) TRAINING – at least have a 2 weeks training and a diploma in criminology course before entering the police force. Then be with a senior police for a period of at least 3 months to learn the routine.
    4.) ADVANCED TRAINING – if being in the force for 5 years, or earlier if they have enough merit to show for upon a recommendation from immediate subordinate to adapt other countries system of policing in order to improve and enhance knowledge.
    5.) PROPER UNIFORM & GADGETS – with service gun or revolver, BATUTA and a radio or walkie talkie. Service revolver or gun must be carry only during on duty and can not be carry during off duty. Impose a severe penalty or discipline up to termination to police force for improper use of the service revolver.

    If all of the above has been followed and strictly monitored then there is no doubt that respect can be gain and no more fear or second guest from the people.

  10. sa pagrecruit pa lang ng mga pulis habang nagtra training sila dun pa lang dapat nasilang turuan ng wastong pamamalakad, subalit hindi nangyayari yan, noong 1986 ang mga trainees ay inaabuso, may hazing, pagkuha ng medical exam hinihingan na ng lagay ng mga nasa clinic ang mga trainiees na gustong makuha agad ang kanilang medical exam. ang anak ng isa kong kaibigan ay nakaranas ng hazing kaya naospital., sinabihan ng medical doc dun na mabuti pang magquit na sya dahil alam na nya ang systema ng training kaya nagquit yung trainee. ang sabi ng doc yung pagpalit ng PC TO PNP ay sa pangalan lang. pero systema ng PC pa din. ang mga trainees noon ay pinakain ng mga panis na pagkain, 300 trainees naliligo sa 2 track ng bombero. pinahirapan sila ng husto. ang ilan ay nagreklamo na bakit ganun ang training nila pero ang mga nagreklamo ay hazing ang tinaggap. ano ang aasahan sa mga bagong pulis kung ang pinagdaanan nila ay hirap. eh di babawi sila paglabas nila. YAN BA ANG MAGIGING TAGAPAGTANGGOL NG SAMBAYANAN?

  11. What if we take advantage of the technology.. What if we can set up a program wherein all official police transaction should be video recorded.. Like usage of eyeglass video camera for each member nung nag respond na pulis… Parang sa bitag… iwas pa sa salvage…iwas kotong cops…saka pa igtingin yung lifecycle check…

      • Sana merong ganun.. :) pero para maiwasan yung daya, dapat using official devices.. kaso baka walang pondo.. lolz

        So far we can see its advantage kapag nag rarally.. nakikita kung sino yung abusong police, nakikita rin kung may pagkakamali din yung nag rarally…Ganun din ata mga police car ng US .. kita mo agad kapag nanghuhuli sila ng traffic violations…

  12. Dapat Itigil muna ang pagrecruit ng mga bagong pulis. Mag hire muna ng mga force multiplier kagaya ng mga licensed guard… Observe nyo sa mga naka assign sa mall ang performance ng mga bagong graduate mula sa academy. laging may mga hawak na cell phone at nakaupo lang… Nag aantay ng mag rereklamo, samantala ang mga blue guard ikot ng ikot , nag hahanap ng mga suspicious character….Daapat wala munang hiring….Nadadagdagan lang ang mga bad eggs…

    • baguhin ang pamamaraan ng pagrecruit ng mga pulis. pakuhnan muna ng phsyciatric test bago matanggap sa training pa lang. yung mga may college degree ang dapat tanggapin at WALANG KAMAGANAK NA PULIS.

  13. This will sting, but it’s I how I see it:

    When you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

    When the pay is that low, you cannot get personnel with the right background that can stand up to the requirements of the job. If you ask me, being a police officer requires more skill sets than a management trainee in Procter and Gamble – physical fitness, marksmanship, knowledge of criminal law and procedure, etc. And yet they are paid peanuts.

    Thus they are very vulnerable to corruption, abuse by political power, etc. Who can stand up to a corrupt politico? Maybe a NYPD detective can, but not a Manila detective.

    You cannot get the best and brightest, Manila’s finest, if the pay is that low. And we expect them to lay their lives on the line?

    Who among you can say that police recruits go into police academies for the love of the job and the honor it carries? Maybe 1% of the total?

    • If the tradition that an institution is remembered for — through the weight of experience and history — consists of oppression, abuse and impunity, and no progress has been accomplished in dismantling that tradition, then the tendency of people who join will be to uphold it. I clearly remember a story in 2000 or 2001, where some NBI applicants were accepted as trainees and the first thing a bunch of them did was to go out and wave their IDs and try to extort money from civilians. In my time as a newspaper journalist I also talked to police reporters who said that even if the pay of policemen were raised they would continue to be abusive. It’s the tradition, culture, mindset that need changing

      • @Alan

        “It’s the tradition, culture, mindset that need changing. ”

        Wish it were that easy to do that. How do you do that in specific terms? Leadership plays a huge role, but what happens when it is replaced? Are we condemned to a lottery each time an adminstration finishes its term?

        When Lee Kuan Yew was building Singapore, he made sure that govt would be able to pay its civil servants, including law enforcement, substantially high salaries so that they would be relatively more immune vs corruption. In addition, this would enable the civil service to compete for the nation’s best, in terms of capability and integrity.

        Working in govt then becomes a prestigious thing to aspire for, instead of being thought of as a lousy place to work in. No need to settle for low quality personnel. Govt need not be an employer of last resort.

        But this would mean having a very good tax system to afford these.

        • We can learn a lot from the style and methods of Lee Kuan Yu. I was on the ground in Singapore in the Sixties and saw it work. As long as we don’t become a concrete jungle like current day Singapore.
          Oh for someone so wise, dogged and steadfast.

  14. This topic brought back the dark days my family experienced in May, 2008. May I share with you Raissa, Alan and your readers my thoughts on this issue-http://bugaki.blogspot.com/2010/08/men-and-women-in-blue.html

    The reason for the prologue is that my first cousins who are married to police officers and their brothers who are police officers themselves reacted quite negatively to my posts on FB during the height of the hostage situation in August, 2010.

      • He and his sister, my eldest, went to the precinct as soon as we learned that my husband was taken there together with his uncle. The trouble actually was between my husband’s uncle and a waiter.- misunderstanding regarding the bill. At that point my husband was at the cr. When he went back to their table, his uncle was being hand- cuffed. So as a lawyer, he had to ask. Instead of replying, the police officers also hand- cuffed him. At the precinct, my son was instructed by my husband to get all the names of the policemen who ganged up on him and who were all not in uniform. As he was politely asking them, a long firearm was pointed at him. So my husband just told him to go home. It was just in time cause my BP was soaring high and it was my son who rushed me to the nearest hospital.

        It was really unfortunate because my husband just did a favor to his uncle that Sunday night. He treated him and his son and daughter, together with one of their friends, another youngster, at that joint because his uncle said he wishes to take out his two children one time so the three of them can bond. All the information we gathered came from these young witnesses. It is unthinkable for the two adults to create a stir in the presence of these three youngsters.

        The catch – the joint is owned by a police colonel (his name was printed on the or) and the policemen were positioned a few meters away from it nightly, as if they were their security guards.

        • Aha! So, that how there was grave abuse by the cops! who were the “alalays” of that Colonel cop…ganda na business ni Mr. Colonel! They forgot they were cops!

          Hoodlums they become!

          That’s mostly what becomes of erring cops…HOODLUMS in uniforms! (excuse me Erap!)

          As I suggested here DEEP POCKET PAYMENT as a form of punishment.

        • What attracted clients to that joint is the live music provided by bands. It’s common knowledge that it is owned by a police officer. But the message in the incident is that “you don’t mess up with us because we are the law here”. Even if there were questions, no one has the right to ask them there. The problem was really very, very trivial and can be ironed out easily. Pero ang katapat ng pagtatanong dun ay posas kaagad.

  15. Before martial law, policemen were under local governments, mayors. Deterioration crooped out after national institution to PNP.
    The previous setup was more beneficial to loacal government because those who served were modtly locals, familar with the areas, culture and family backgrounds of residents. They cared more for the well being of the municipal residents. At that time the police were more concerned, having the feeling of being a family to keep the environment safe.

    The new PNP scheme is from the start detrimental to residents. First, the policemen especially the commanders are assigned to tge areas which are not their first choice. Second, it would take time to familiarize themselves in the areas and build rapport with the residents. Calling them to respond to a crime would take forever for they have to find out where the area the crime was committed on their initial days of work. And we all know slow response could lead to poor solution for the crime scene could have been contaminated, the perpetrators gone and alibis manufactured. These policemen lacked the personal attachment to their assigned areas; to them it is just another job on assignment so their concern is more on how tto make money out of their rotation to send to the family or feed mistresses borne out of homesickness in previous assignments.

    Bottom line, many personal factors are involved with assigned policemen that is detrimental to local residents. The old setup must be put back into place and de-institutionalized the PNP.

    • iniisip ko kung pano babaguhin ang pagtingin natin s mga pulis, totoo na nakakatakot kapag pulis na ang katapat natin, subukan nating pumasok s himpilan ng pulis, parang walang safety sa loob na mismo ng himpilan nila….bakit kaya hindi na lang natin silang palitan lahat ng newly grad?? at pag nagkamali sila eh sibak agad…

      • Malalim ang problema. Palit ng palit puro magagalit!

        Ang “systema” ang may mali. Palitan ang “systema” at ano ang ipapalit?

        Paano ang bagong “systema?” Bagong sabit?

        Palitan ang “bagong sabit” na naman?

        Palitan ng mga bagong grad-uits!?

        Pangngalawang “systema” palitan na naman? Puro palit ng palit!

        Parang ako imi-ikot dito sa kaka PALIT ng sulat!

        PULIS! PULIS! PULISSSSSSSSS! haaaaaayyy NA HOLDAP AKO NG PULIS!

        • He may not be truly updated to lead the PNP force! He’s may focus on his presidential ambitions pa!

          All my suggested ideas are basically simple. Get the BASICS and make innovations, modernize and upgrade what the present old policies are.

          And this is very important: 1% iSSUANCE of order and 99% SUPERVISION and CONTROL! What the PNP is doing now is the reverse.

          In US, they have the INTERNAL AFFAIRS for each police. Like a GESTAPO for culprit cops. We have it it here I think but it is INFERNO AFFAIRS..an animated FIRE but no fire!

          Police Commission = is kom sumis yon. They are the first to be axed!

          There must be application of SOFTNESS in this institution. No term of police service should immediately apply after one is admitted into the cop force. Rather a probationary service of 2 years CONTRACT instead subject to acceptable PERFORMACE during that period…until after one is good ’til 56 years of age.

          Detectives or special Units like Homicide, Drugs, etc. must undergo a lenght of study, practical experience and other performance under the supervision and control of qualified and experience senior police officials.

          Many courts dismisses drug Cases because the cops & officials blundered in gathering evidence on it. Not even basic knowledged of court rules and handling of evidence is at hand. No lawyer or experienced trial prosecutors assists them in this. Maybe one or a retired experienced Judge can be a consultant or adviser before and after filing such drug Cases.

          As I said earlier, the PNP system must be thoroughly re-studied and many changes required now. Some initial actions is now demandable for it to be effective.

      • I agree with you czech… I expirienced that feeling ng pumunta me sa presinto sa bayan ko mismo. Di ko alam bakit ganun ang feeling ko ko na natatakot me nung nandun ako sa loob ng presinto para lang sa police clearance. Something weird na I can not explain bakit ako uneasy at talagang tama ka parang walang safety sa loob mismo ng police station.

        Tama rin si leona na malalim ang problema sa kapulisan natin at sana lang may maibigay na magandang solution kung sino man para mabago ang pagtingin ng tao sa mga pulis, at sana rin maging maayos ang sistema ng ating police force.

    • The schooling, training and education of our policemen and academy grads for policement is not effective. Thus, it is not working. Any cop can be assigned anywhere to be a cop. But any cop must learn by himself/herself the area assigned prior to any actual field operations. Does he or she? No. Why? Who cares! That is the answer.

      Culure and family backgrounds study by any cop is not hard. But any cop who never had such culture learned in his/her life will never be able to do the job. Thus, is the PNP training putting emphasis on this matter? Most probably not. The proofs are the results of their actual performances.

      Lack of personal attachments to their job as cops are results or effects of the above discussions. How does one become a cop? Is it difficult or easy to become one? What is needed or required? Money? Maybe yes. Palakasan? Also maybe yes. Character grading? Yes but not followed! Capability, mental/physical/spiritual in the person? Yes but not also followed!

      Patriotism? Surely! But are they or how many are? Average intelligence or above average intelligence required? Should be! But are they? Baka bobo pa nga! No common sense too! Did we see that cop hammerring the hard plastic (or what) door of the Tourist Bus in Luneta during the hostage taking? Yes! How many time did he hammer? Many times. He couldn’t even dent any part of that glass door. Why? He did not know what that glass door was made of. He got so tired, he threw away that long heavy MASO/hammer! NO COMMON SENSE! Bobo! How did he get into being a cop. Ask the police officials.

      Do you remember that bank robbery at the BPI bank in Cubao may years ago? The SWAT TEAM threw TEAR GAS GRENADES into the premises of that bank and THEY ALL ENTERED THAT BANK without GAS MASKS! Result? …hindi kaya! hindi kaya! hinda kaya! labas tayo!….Hindi lang sila gago but BOBO pa! How did this Swat Team members become SWAT or suWAT? Ask the police officials on that again. That scene was televised LIVE my friends!

      By the way, are our police officials from top to the lower echelons also same as their cops’ in all their defects, incompetence and liabilities? Most probably they are. Thus, the belong to same “breeds.” So? What can we expect from all this? PALITAN! Sino ang papalit? How? Where? And WHO will replace them? Me? You?

      The whole sytem, leadership, structure, training, facilities, equipments and learning, etc. are so old, obsolete and ineffective that we have reasons to say PALITAN SILA! Baguhin ang systema! Can the national and local governments do this? Imrove the whole PNP institution?

      Yes! But any answer will be so long and this space cannot be enough here.