EDITORIAL - PNP reforms worth considering

Following several incidents involving the behavior of policemen, as well as how some cases were handled, there are now proposals for various reforms in the Philippine National Police.

Some of the changes being proposed is the separation of the Internal Affairs Service and the Scene of the Crime Operations from the PNP. Proponents for this reform say both would be better directly under the National Police Commission, the body mandated to administer and control the PNP, rather than under the PNP itself.

There is good reason to push for the separation of IAS, the office mandated to investigate police misconduct and also instill discipline if such is required.

Those in IAS are technically investigating their own peers and colleagues. While there is nothing wrong with this per se, it can be awkward if it happens to be someone they personally know, but even more so if it happens to be someone in a higher position with influence over them.

We can cite the case of the quarantine violation of then NCRPO chief Debold Sinas. In the course of the investigation, Sinas was eventually appointed as PNP chief, making those in IAS his subordinates. Would you really submit a report finding your boss guilty and recommending his punishment?

We are not saying IAS investigations are tainted. However, there will always be speculation of undue influence from higher office, especially during controversies.

There is also a need to make SOCO more specialized.

We only have to remember what happened in the Christine Dacera case last new year to recall that some standard procedures were not taken to gather crucial evidence. Evidence that would have quickly settled some issues once and for all.

Again, it becomes awkward if a suspect happens to be a policemen, or a crime was suspected to have been committed by state forces. Some sectors will always insist there was pressure from above to influence some findings.

With that out of the way, separating IAS and SOCO from the PNP is also easier said than done.

IAS personnel have to be familiar with standard police procedure to carry out their duties. Who is more familiar with standard police procedure than policemen themselves?

The same goes for SOCO personnel. Experienced policemen will know what to look for, what to gather, and what to preserve as evidence in a crime scene.

If there is some way to separate IAS and SOCO from the PNP, yet still have them staffed by personnel who think, act, and have the same skill set as cops, then this must be the way to go.