Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 20) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (IAS) wants to split from the police force and become an independent unit in a bid to make it as powerful as its overseas counterparts.
“Kung ‘yung IAS ay hiwalay sa PNP, hiwalay sa NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission) ang gagawin natin magkakaroon tayo ng check and balance,” PNP-IAS Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said Sunday at a media forum.
[Translation: If IAS would separate from the PNP, would be separate from NAPOLCOM, we will be able to have checks and balance.]
Right now, Triambulo said, they can only recommend disciplinary action for erring policemen and its enforcement depends on the NAPOLCOM.
Making things more complicated is the power given to local governments and the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct their own probe on rogue cops.
“Walang responsibility and accountability kasi sa dami-dami pong mga disciplinary authority, nagdu-duplicate ang kanilang function at sayang lang ang result at resources,” Triambulo said.
[Translation: There is no responsibility and accountability because there’s a lot of disciplinary authorities with their functions being duplicated and we are just wasting results and resources.]
Adding to these problems is the IAS’ lack of funding, which Triambulo said some policemen under investigation take advantage of.
House Bill No. 3065, filed by PBA party-list Jericho Nograles, seeks to give IAS greater powers in going after erring policemen by separating it from the PNP.
The bill will place IAS under the Department of the Interior and Local Government, with staff separate from the PNP.
It also seeks to give IAS prosecutorial powers instead of simply recommendatory.
Triambulo said that they support the measure.
The issue of disciplining erring cops came to the fore again due to the “ninja cops” controversy, which forced PGen Oscar Albayalde to step down as PNP chief.
CNN Philippines Correspondent Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
