[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=” tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
Serious PNP reforms
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
THE ADMISSION of President Duterte that 40 percent of the police force is corrupt is a worrying indication that the drug war may fail. It is therefore most welcome that the police force is moving to address corruption within its ranks.
The focus on rogue cops as ordered by the President deserves public support. He is taking a positive action on the matter. The Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership must address the culture of impunity so deeply rooted in its organization. This is the same mentality that has given rise to the killing of suspects while in detention, the torture of detainees, police violence against peaceful protesters and most recently, murder inside the PNP national headquarters. There is a need for systemic measures to prevent abuses by those tasked to stop criminality.
To be fair to the President, impunity did not come about only during the Duterte administration. It has been around as long as the police have been committing human rights violations and engaging in corruption. Past administrations failed to hold the police accountable for numerous crimes. We need only to recall the tortures and killings during Martial Law, the Mendiola Massacre, “salvaging”, the Kuratong Baleleng rubout, the Dacer-Corbito murders, the Luisita Massacre, the Euro Generals corruption case, the Kidapawan shootings, and Mamasapano.
If the Duterte administration is really serious in reforms within the PNP, he must end the reign of impunity and corruption within the organization.
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
