ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Jocelyn Tulfo points out the “incompetence” of the country’s policemen following the consecutive controversies of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In a statement, Tulfo cited infamous incidents like Christine Dacera’s body being embalmed first before undergoing medico-legal examination, the construction worker mistakenly shot by cops, and Nuezca murdering unarmed civilians.
These instances urged her to call for an overhaul of the PNP standards in police training and discharge of duties.
“For instance, I believe that cops must be mandated to be experts at criminal procedure and the proprieties of arrest. Any wrongful arrest or other acts of harassment must be treated as a grave misconduct sufficient for immediate termination,” the congresswoman said.
Once revisions have been implemented, screening unqualified officers would be swifter.
For this regard, Tulfo assured that she has an upcoming bill prepared. In the meantime, the representative shared the initial draft of the amendments to the Republic Act 6975, underscoring the mental health standards among policemen. This would revise three specific sections of the law.
One of her proposals states that an applicant should be “a citizen of the Philippines as properly evidenced by an authenticated birth certificate duly issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority based upon information from its electronic civil registry database.”
Additionally, they should also be “a person of good moral conduct as formally attested to by all of the following: (1) a priest or pastor, religious elder, or imam; (2) the barangay chairpersons of the aspirant’s barangay of current residence and the barangay of former residence or provincial residence; and (3) the principal and guidance counselor of the aspirant’s secondary school alma mater.”
Lastly, an aspiring officer should be “of sound mind and body as formally certified by a practicing and licensed psychiatrist with current membership of good standing in the Philippine Psychiatric Association after that professional’s