PNP wants probes held in executive session
— Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rommel Francisco Marbil said he has appealed to House Speaker Martin Romualdez that any congressional investigations involving PNP personnel be conducted in executive sessions.
“We don’t need anything. We did not ask for anything. What I asked is if our people appear in Congress, I hope that we will have it in executive session,” said Marbil.
He made the remarks during his inaugural site visit at Camp Martin Delgado in Fort San Pedro, Iloilo, home of the Police Region Office 6 (PRO-6), on Tuesday.
Marbil said that the police should be given due respect during investigations in Congress.
“Every time the PNP’s name is tarnished, people start to have second thoughts or even consider that the police might be complicit to the crime or violations,” he said.
He stressed that “public humiliation” of a police official affects the entire agency, not just the individual.
Marbil said that erring police officers would face appropriate disciplinary actions.
“Many police officers sacrifice their lives, which many of us do not see,” he lamented.
“Please trust our police. What we only want is to give you service. The promise of the PNP in the new Philippines is that we will all be safe,” he emphasized.
Marbil was in Iloilo City for the activation of the four new police stations located in Tanza City Proper (Station 7), Bo. Obrero-Lapuz (Station 8), M.H. Del Pilar, Jaro (Station 9) and Gaisano Capital Iloilo City Center Mall (Station 10).
The new police stations are expected to serve a total of 143,655 individuals across the four areas, according to the PRO-6.
To enhance the functionality of these new stations, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas announced plans to procure three police cars, 80 pieces of 5.56 firearms, 5,000 rounds of 5.56 ammunition for the new local police offices and an armored car for the Special Weapons and Tactics team.
Marbil emphasized that under his administration, he wanted the PNP to be closer to the ground.
“We are trying to reconfigure where we can allocate personnel. We are looking into which offices we can remove or replace with nonuniformed personnel so that you can feel the presence of the police on the ground,” he said.
Aside from this, Marbil also led the groundbreaking ceremony and inauguration of several facilities inside Camp Martin Delgado which include the adoration mini park, drainage and flood control system, PRO-6 road network and a multipurpose building.