The House committee on appropriations chaired by Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles (1st District, Davao City) resumed its deliberation on the 2018 proposed budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and its attached agencies, amounting to P170 billion, with questions raised by lawmakers about the so-called narco-list and other peace and order concerns.
Agencies attached to the DILG are the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), and the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC).
DILG Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Catalino Cuy, PNP Director General Ronald de la Rosa, BFP chief Leonard Banago, BJMP chief Serafin Barretto Jr., NAPOLCOM vice chairman Rogelio Casurao, and PPSC president Ricardo de Leon led the officials present in the hearing.
Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo (1stDistrict, Lanao del Norte) asked the DILG and the PNP to confirm the existence of the so-called ‘drug list,’ which contains the names of politicians who are allegedly protecting drug lords.
Dimaporo urged the DILG and the PNP to be more thorough in validating the names of people who are in the said list as it may be subject to abuse.
“My personal concern is that the list may be used against politicians. There is that concern that abuses may happen. So I would like to manifest that the DILG and the PNP practice as much as possible transparency and rigid validation of that list,” Dimaporo said.
He requested the DILG to furnish the appropriations committee a copy of the said list, only if it is permissible to do so.
Cuy confirmed the existence of the so-called ‘narco list’, which is a compilation of personalities, such as elected local officials, private individuals, government officials, and police and military officers, who are allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
He said the list is the result of the joint effort of the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and that it is continuously being validated and updated.
Cuy said the list has been distributed to the respective Regional Peace and Order Councils (RPOCs) so that the governors and mayors may verify the list if they wish to do so.
Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (Party-list, BAYAN MUNA) reiterated his earlier requests: for the BFP to submit a report on the Rosenbauer fire truck deal; for the BJMP to provide an update on the status of political prisoners who are under its care; and for the PNP to furnish a report on the warrants issued against the principal accused in the murder of Brgy. Capt. Jimmy Laguyod of San Fernando, Bukidnon.
Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma (Lone District, Nueva Vizcaya), vice chairperson of the committee on appropriations, who presided at the hearing, asked the PNP, BFP, and BJMP to submit their respective reports to the committee before the plenary deliberation on the 2018 proposed budget of the DILG and its attached agencies.
Zarate also scrutinized the P900 million allocation of the DILG for “Oplan Double Barrel.”
The PNP explained that the P900 million will be broken down into various programs and services like travel expenses, trainings, supplies and materials, communication expenses, confidential and intelligence expenses, and professional services.
The PNP stressed that the said allocation does not pertain to a very specific operation.
Zarate urged the PNP to seriously review the ongoing war against drugs in view of the number of people getting killed.
Dela Rosa explained that the PNP leadership gives constant reminder to their personnel to carry out their work properly.
Dela Rosa assured that they do not tolerate abuses in the performance of duties and that the PNP personnel who commit irregularities will be made answerable.
Rep. Rufino Rozzano Biazon (Lone District, Muntinlupa City) raised the issue on the seeming conflict on jurisdiction between the BFP and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) regarding the conduct of fire inspection on facilities.
Cuy replied that the BFP and PEZA, led by Director General Charito Plaza, have already threshed out their differences and that agreement has already been reached.
Cuy explained that both agencies have agreed that the BFP will do the inspection on facilities and the result of the inspection will serve as the basis of PEZA in giving license or authority to the said facilities.
Biazon stressed that the House of Representatives has made a very strong position in favor of the BFP. He said he is delighted to know that the issue has already been resolved.
On the issue of the campaign against illicit drugs, Biazon emphasized that accountability should be considered in measuring the performance of the PNP personnel.
Biazon also said he filed a bill on the use of body cameras of PNP personnel in conducting their operation, explaining that it is for the welfare of police officers.
Dela Rosa expressed full support for Biazon’s proposal on the use of body cameras, pointing out that the PNP has in fact requested an additional amount of P1.88 billion for the purchase of body cameras.
Rep. Romeo Acop (2nd District, Antipolo City) said Biazon’s bill on the use of body cameras was referred to the committee on public order and safety, of which he is the chairman.
Acop, a retired police general, informed PNP officials that they have to view the proposal within the aspect of whether the PNP has already acquired all the basic equipment that it needs.
Acop emphasized that the PNP is not supposed to look after the welfare of its personnel ahead of the welfare of the people. / ABR | HOR-PR
