GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Police Regional Office (PRO)-12 has renewed its campaign against the pawning or use of the automated teller machine (ATM) cards of police personnel as loan collateral.
Police Chief Insp. Noel Diagan, head of the Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS), said Wednesday they launched a series of inspections among police units in the region to check the ATM cards of policemen.
Diagan said all policemen are required to always carry their ATM cards based on a memorandum issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) central office.
“This (inspection) is to prevent our personnel from pawning their ATM cards and ensure that they will always hold onto them,” he said in a radio interview.
Diagan said the inspections of the ATM cards are part of the PRO-12’s continuing efforts to instill proper discipline among its personnel.
“We’re trying to avoid situations wherein our personnel would resort to illegal activities due to debts and reduced take home pays,” he added.
Diagan said they already inspected several police stations in the city and found at least four personnel not carrying their ATM cards. The four, who were given warnings, were all assigned at the city police station-3 in Barangay Lagao.
The police official said they are set to conduct more “surprise” inspections in other police precincts, stations, and offices in the area.
“These ATM cards are like the issued firearms of our personnel so they should always carry and take care of them,” he said.
Under PNP Memorandum Circular 2014-004, all its personnel are required to have their ATM cards “in their possession at all times.”
It said that the individual ATM cards of PNP members are part of their uniform, non- transferable and “should be surrendered only upon retirement or separation from the service.” (Alejandro Saludo/PNA)
