By Azer Parrocha with reports from Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed a law giving the Philippine National Police (PNP) control and supervision of training police recruits.
Duterte signed Republic Act 11279 on April 12, 2019 yet but reporters only got a copy on Thursday (May 23).
Prior to the signing of the law, police recruits undergo a training program under the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) before they are turned over to the PNP for formal hiring.
The new law allows the PNP to supervise the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) and the National Police Training Institute (NPTI).
The PNPA is the premier institution for police education, and the primary source for commission-ship of police lieutenants while the NPTI is responsible for the mandatory and leadership training of all police non-commissioned officers (PNCOs).
Within 120 days from the effectivity of the law, the PNP chief shall submit the revised table of organization and equipment and staffing pattern of the PNPA and the NPTI to the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for approval.
This law, which is a consolidation of House Bill 8628 and Senate Bill 1898, was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines on January 23, 2019.
It takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Duterte has repeatedly expressed interest to transfer the training of police recruits to the PNP, complaining about “lousy” police personnel.
PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde welcomed the signing of the law, stressing this meant that there is no reason for police abuses to take place.
“We would like to thank the Congress for the passed of the law and the President for signing it at last. I have said wala na kami rason or reason kapag mayroon hindi magandang nangyari o mayroon pang-aabuso (We no longer have an excuse to give if there are untoward incidents or abuses that take place),” Albayalde said.
“Whatever outcome the standard officer that we will produce from that academy wala na kami pwedeng sisihan kung hindi kami (we can’t blame anyone except ourselves),” he added.
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