By Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA
MANILA — The House of Representatives on Monday ratified a measure that seeks to modify the rank classification of uniformed personnel in the Philippine National Police (PNP) by adopting the rank classification used in the military establishment.
The lower house approved the reconciled version of House Bill 5236 and Senate Bill 2031, which proposes the amendment to Section 28 of the “Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990”, for purposes of clarity of command and responsibility, and for the effective and efficient administration, supervision and control, the rank classification of the uniformed personnel of the PNP.
The PNP rank classification shall be as follows:
Police General from Director General; Police Lieutenant General from Deputy Director General; Police Major General from Director; Police Brigadier General from Chief Superintendent; Police Colonel from Senior Superintendent; Police Lieutenant Colonel from Superintendent; Police Major from Chief Inspector; Police Captain from Senior Inspector; and Police Lieutenant from Inspector.
Police Master Sergeant from Senior Police Officer IV; Police Technical Sergeant from Senior Police Officer III; Police Staff Sergeant from Senior Police Officer II; Police Sergeant from Senior Police Officer I; Police Corporal from Police Officer III; Patrolman First Class from Police Officer II; and Patrolman from Police Officer I.
Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, principal author of the measure, said it aims to address public confusion on the present rank of PNP officers with the use of such terms as “superintendent” and “inspector”, which were borrowed primarily from Western and European jurisdictions.
“Despite the usage of such terms for the last 20 years, the public seems to have been more accustomed to the use of rank classification using military terminologies such as ‘general’, ‘colonel’, or ‘sergeant’ as previously used in the police force,” said Acop, a former police official.
Acop said the proposed law intends to promote a common understanding between and among the members and units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP that would enhance efficiency in inter-agency operations.
