EDITORIAL - Institutional deficiencies

The latest human rights report prepared by the US State Department noted deep-seated institutional deficiencies in the Philippine National Police. PNP officials have long been aware of those deficiencies and have been trying to remedy them, but change comes slowly and the organization needs more support.

The US report took note of pay increases for the police, improved training and expansion of community outreach programs. But the report noted that PNP members continued to be accused of corruption, human rights violations and other illegal activities.

If the rule of law does not prevail in this country, the PNP bears part of the blame. Its members are susceptible to bribes, and its investigators are prone to extrajudicial shortcuts in solving crimes. Human rights violations continue to be imputed on PNP members, with the massacre in Maguindanao last year among the biggest blots in the history of the police.

Effective law enforcement does not come cheap. Many of these institutional problems are rooted in the lack of sufficient funds to provide the necessary law enforcement equipment, hire more personnel and give the police decent pay and constant skills upgrading. Studies have shown that too many cops live below the poverty line, making them vulnerable not only to bribes but also enticements to join crime rings. The ratio of police to the constantly growing population is woefully inadequate for effective maintenance of peace and order.

A positive development is that PNP officials have publicly expressed awareness of these problems and are implementing measures to improve the performance of the police. Such efforts have been ongoing for a few years but, as the US report has noted, the efforts are not enough. Improving the capability of the PNP will have to be given priority by the next president. Like credible defense capability, effective law enforcement is difficult on a shoestring budget.