‘Senate to work with PNP in protecting communities’

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri assured officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that the Senate is doing everything in its power to support the evolving needs of the police force.

“The Senate is always here to work with you in our shared responsibility of engendering genuine and lasting peace in our communities and in the country,” Zubiri said in a speech before police officials attending the 44th PNP Academy Grand Alumni Homecoming in Silang, Cavite over the weekend.

“The fact of the matter is that as legislators and law enforcers, we have to work hand-in-hand. Whatever instruments we wield, whether it be guns or pens, our goal is the same: to protect and uplift our communities and the whole nation,” he said.

Zubiri started quantifying this legislative support by mentioning the passage in 2021 of Republic Act 11549 or the “Height Equality Act” which reduced the height requirement for not only police recruits but also officers of firefighters and jail and corrections officers.

“We know that a good cop is not defined by their height – what counts is their courage, their commitment, and their integrity. And so this law opened the doors for many more Filipinos to enter the police force and dedicate themselves to the service of our people,” the senator said.

Last month, the Senate passed on third and final reading the PNP Organizational Reforms Act, which aims to update the old structures of the PNP and strengthen and streamline its leadership, organization and management, he said.

“We will be institutionalizing offices such as the Directorial Staff and the Area Police Command across the country, to fortify their roles and integrate them better into the police force,” Zubiri said.

The Jail Integration Act, which will transfer provincial and sub-provincial jails from the supervision of LGUs to the supervision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), was also passed on third and final reading last week in the Senate.

“Under the expert management of the BJMP, we hope to create a more efficient and standardized system of management for all Persons Deprived of Liberty, no matter where they are serving their time,” Zubiri explained.

He noted that the bill will also complement the Heinous Crimes Facility Act that was passed in the 18th Congress and has obtained funding this year.

“With that supermax facility in Mindoro, we hope to decongest our jails, and we hope to establish a better managed penitentiary system that will help low-level offenders have a truly rehabilitative time in prison, away from the influence of high-level offenders,” Zubiri said.

The Department of Justice is coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways to finalize the details of the construction of the jail facility in Sablayan, Mindoro Occidental.

He also mentioned that the committee report for the Bureau of Fire Protection and BJMP Rank Classification Act is out and ready for plenary debates.

Apart from legislation targeting institutional improvement, Zubiri said the Senate is also working on bills that will help with the arms procurement of the police force – amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act and the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Act.

“The SRDP Act, in particular, is very important to me, because I believe that we should be able to produce our own defense needs, on our own time – instead of relying on our foreign allies for the bulk of our arms procurement,” he declared.

The PNP can also look forward to the PNP Forensic DNA Database Act, which Zubiri believes will revolutionize criminal investigation procedures and keep the country at par with global standards in forensic sciences and practices.

“As you can see, the Senate is all in with our support for the PNP and its partner agencies. We value deeply your great selflessness and sacrifice, and we recognize your work to be foundational to our country’s growth. We cannot, after all, pursue progress without first securing peace,” Zubiri said.