By GENALYN D. KABILING
The Philippine National Police (PNP) must instill more discipline among the ranks after many cops have become “sloppy” and “lazy” in their work, President Duterte said last Wednesday.
The President admitted that the police force used to be in a good fighting mode at the start of the martial law years but later went into a slump.
Duterte reminded the policemen to shape up and remain alert given the lingering threats from the communist rebels and other lawless elements.
“There is much to be desired, I’m very sorry to say that,” the President said during the oath-taking of the new PNP Academy Alumni Association Inc. board of trustees in Malacañang last Wednesday.
“Yung disiplina ninyo taasan ninyo nang kaunti. And most of the police are quite lazy, almost indolent sa probinsya.
Kaya naman, paturatoy-turatoy kung mag-uwi. They have forgotten that the New People’s Army have renewed their fight against government,” he said.
He said many policemen especially those in the countryside have become “so sloppy” in the wake of the recent rebel attacks on police detachments.
Most of the slain policemen were “the ones who does not honor the modality or protocols to observe,” according to Duterte.
“Ang awareness kasi ng pulis ngayon sa atin is not that good and it cannot remain so,” he said
“Kaya ako naaawa talaga sa mga pulis, because it’s just a matter of police work within the perimeter if you are guarding the police station within your AOR” he said.
While he asked the country’s policemen to shape up, the President promised to strengthen the country’s police and military capability particularly in intelligence gathering.
“I cannot say yet on – in public right now, I have a new plan at it has something to do with the improvement of the intelligence community,” he said.
“But I said, you will have the best of the police and the military during my time. May priority kayo,” he said.
The President said he intends the presidency with “a strong police and a strong army.” “Otherwise, we will be vulnerable” he said, referring to the threats of terrorism and illegal drugs.
