Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, wants to distance the organization from politics.
Dela Rosa authored Senate Bill No. 2449 which amends Republic Act 6975, also known as the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act, as well as RA 8551, also known as the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act.
"Iyan yung pangarap ko talaga, yung isang PNP na malayo, isolated from politics. Yung PNP na professional na hindi basta-basta nahahawakan sa leeg," said Dela Rosa on Wednesday, September 27, during DILG sa DZRH Breaktime.
Dela Rosa explained that among the 'major' amendments introduced by SB 2449 include removing the power of designating police chiefs, and provincial police directors from local chief executives.
Rather than governors and mayors, the senator wants the PNP chief to have the appointing authority for local police chiefs, and the provincial police directors.
"Sila ang nakaalam sa kanilang tauhan. Unlike kung pulitiko ang pipili nito, kung sino lang ang malakas sa pulitiko, yung lang ang mapipili talaga," Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa said that the reforms seek to prevent police officers from having an 'utang ng loob' to the local chief executives who appointed them.
"Yung inimbestigahan natin na kaso involving local politicians at saka yung mga pulis, hindi talaga matanggal yung utang ng loob," Dela Rosa stressed.
"Ito ay virtue, Filipino virtue, pero ito ay minsan nagkakaroon din ng hindi magandang implication towards professionalism dahil nagkakaron ng utang ng loob yung isang opisyal sa isang pulitiko," he added.
