Detaching IAS from PNP not necessary, says DILG

MANILA, Philippines – The proposal to detach the investigating agency Internal Affairs Service (IAS) from the Philippine National Police (PNP) may be unnecessary and could bring unwanted consequences, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said yesterday.

“What I think Secretary Eduardo Año was saying is that it might be unnecessary to remove the IAS completely from the PNP,” DILG Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya told reporters.

Malaya said the idea of the IAS breaking away from the PNP could have “a lot of possible repercussions,” especially on the functions of the DILG, PNP and the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

“The IAS is an important tool of the chief PNP to eradicate scalawags and rogue police officers, if supervised properly,” he said.

The role of the IAS may be modified, Malaya suggested.

He said the police investigating unit could report directly to the chief PNP and the secretary of the DILG.

While the DILG sees the merit of the IAS proposal to break away from the PNP, Malaya said, “We need to study the matter carefully.”

 The STAR yesterday reported that IAS inspector general Alfegar Triambulo was lobbying Congress to amend Republic Act 8551 or the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act to make the investigating unit an independent body.

To avoid duplication of work, Triambulo proposed that the powers of the Napolcom be reduced to a policymaking body or administrator of the PNP.