BY AARON RECUENCO
Gen. Debold Sinas, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has stopped the implementation of the localization of assignment program of his predecessor, saying the program was impractical and does not conform with the existing policy of the police organization.
The localization program was initiated by then PNP chief Camilo Pancratius Cascolan based on the concept that policemen who are assigned in their hometowns or near their hometowns are less prone to commit abuses and engage in illegal activities.
More or less 5,000 policemen have already been re-assigned back to their hometowns in the past one month, most of them are from Metro Manila.
Sinas said that Cascolan’s localization program has greatly affected the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) when he was still the Metro Manila police chief.
“We have procedures. We have a policy to follow in connection with re-assignment and we must observe it,” said Sinas.
The official said that the program is ill-timed since it was implemented when the PNP is at the forefront of fighting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Part of his order to rescind Cascolan’s localization program, according to Sinas, is to put on hold all the pending requests of policemen to be assigned to their hometowns.
He, however, disclosed that some of those who are set to be assigned to their hometowns denied applying for transfer of assignment.
“I don’t know who’s telling the truth but they said they never made any request for transfer,” said Sinas.
Sinas added that he also instructed the Directorate for Personnel Records and Management (DPRM) to assist those seeking the revocation of the request for transfer to their hometowns. (Aaron Recuenco)
