Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has committed to push anew for a law which removes political influence in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Should he be reelected in the 2025 midterm polls, Dela Rosa said he would pursue again the amendment to the Local Government Code that allows local chief executives to choose the chief of police in their cities or municipalities.
“Uulitin ko ‘yang proposal na ‘yan dahil nga that’s the only way na ma-professionalize mo talaga to the fullest ang Philippine National Police. Uulitin at uulitin ko ‘yan,” the former PNP chief said.
“The most productive years of my life ginugol ko dyan sa kapulisan kaya alam ko what ills our organization.”
“I’ve been a policeman my whole life. The most productive years of my life ginugol ko dyan sa kapulisan kaya alam ko what ills our organization. Kung ano talaga ang pinakamalaking problema sa aming organisasyon, ‘yang pakikialam ng mga pulitiko sa aming hanay. ‘Yan ang pinakamabigat,” the legislator stressed.
In the 19th Congress, the lawmaker sponsored and defended the bill that introduces organizational reforms in the PNP. However, the provision that seeks to remove the local chief executives’ power to choose their city/municipal chief of police was not accepted in the final version of the bill.
The senator agreed to remove the said provision to save the other reforms that were included in the bill such as the setting of the retirement age to 57 years old, but the proposed measure was eventually vetoed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“‘Yung control ng mga politicians over the PNP, tanggalin dapat yan…kasi hangga’t nandyan ‘yan ma-politicize talaga ang PNP.”
“Maganda sana sa Philippine National Police para maging professional talaga, tanggalin ‘yung koneksyon nila sa pulitiko, ‘yung control ng mga politicians over the PNP, tanggalin dapat yan…kasi hangga’t nandyan ‘yan ma-politicize talaga ang PNP,” he said.
“Let the PNP decide who, by merit, is going to be the provincial director, the regional director, the chief of police of every municipality. Tanggalin ‘yung probisyon sa Local Government Code na ang pulitiko ang pumili,” dela Rosa added.
