THE Revitalization and Capability Enhancement of the Philippine National Police (PNP) or the PNP Modernization Bill will remain as one of the top legislative measures being pushed by the PNP leadership for approval by the 19th Congress this year, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

Proposed by the PNP Directorate for Logistics headed by Major General Ronaldo E. Olay, the measure aims to further modernize the ‘move, shoot, communicate and investigate’ capabilities of the 227,000-strong force by first filling up its basic equipage and constructing standard police stations and offices nationwide during the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr.

Second, it aims to acquire modern equipage for the police; next is to adopt a secured, modern artificial intelligence or AI-driven, real-time information and communications technology (ICT) systems to modernize and integrate police administration and operations.

It also aims to strengthen police coordination and cooperation with the citizenry, local governments, public safety agencies, other law enforcement agencies and pillars of the criminal justice system, and the regional and international police communities.

Lastly, the proposed measure will give the PNP chief the power to directly negotiate with an agency/instrumentality of another country with which the Philippines has entered into a defense cooperation agreement, or mutual logistics support and services and law enforcement and security cooperation agreement, when the procurement involves modern equipage for enhanced PNP capabilities, subject to certain conditions, said PNP Director for Plans, Maj. Gen. Bernard M. Banac.

PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. earlier said they pushing for the ‘revitalization and capability enhancement of the PNP’ thru the acquisition and upgrading of their basic equipment, re-fleeting, modern equipage as well as infrastructure and facilities development.

The program would cost the government P128 billion in the next 10-years but would mean a 100 percent fill-up of basic PNP equipment and infrastructures, he said.

As proposed by the PNP, the PNP chief shall prepare a Modernization and Capability Enhancement Program in consultation with the chairman of the National Police Commission and the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management and submit it to the Napolcom which shall endorse the same to Congress.

Key result areas for implementation of the program include beat patrol, maritime patrol, illegal drugs suppression, firearms control, intelligence operations, aerial surveillance and air transport, criminal investigation, cybercrime investigation, anti-terrorist operations, disaster response and rescue operations and civil disturbance control.

The PNP also sees the measure as one that will further enhance law enforcement approaches and intensified operations against transnational crime and emerging forms of criminality, insurgency, terrorism and other serious threats to national security.

Gen. Azurin earlier said that President Marcos Jr. has expressed his full support to all plans and programs of the PNP including its continuing modernization program this year to enable the 227,000-strong force to procure more ‘move, shoot, communicate and investigate’ equipment.

According to the top cop, the Chief Executive made known his complete support to the PNP’s modernization and reform objectives as the organization completed a colorful and eventful 2022 highlighted by the peaceful conduct of the May national and local elections.

Gen. Azurin said they are looking forward with confidence and optimism that the PNP is now better prepared, equipped and more confident to face the challenges that 2023 may bring.

The top PNP official likewise underscored the fact that they have greatly improved their ‘move, shoot, communicate and investigate’ capabilities’ to ensure that all police functions are carried out efficiently and effectively especially as they continue their intensified war on all forms of criminality, terror and corruption.

Since August last year, the PNP under Gen. Azurin had already acquired nearly P1.8 billion of brand-new equipment, the latest of them worth nearly P762 million worth of newly-procured police vehicles and weapons amid their continuing modernization program.

The various equipment worth P761,219,682 were successfully procured by the PNP National Headquarters Bids and Awards Committee chaired by Maj. Gen. Olay.

Gen. Azurin said the newly-procured police equipment were sourced under the PNP’s Capability Enhancement Programs 2019, 2021 and 2022. Maj. Gen. Olay and PNP Director for Comptrollership, Maj. Gen. Jesus D. Cambay Jr. supervised the transparent bidding for the firearms and vehicles.

The new police equipment purchased by the force under Gen. Azurin include 130 units of 4×4 Personnel Carries which have been distributed to different Police Mobile Forces and Municipal Stations with mountainous terrain and 44 units of Advance Life Support Ambulance which are now being e used by the PNP Health Service. Toyota Otis, Inc. supplied the vehicles.

A total of 1,464 All-Purpose Vest (Tactical Vest Level III-A with 2 Upgrade Plates Level 4 supplied by AHoldtech PH Corporation and Jiangsu Zhongyi Special Fiber Co. Ltd. have been distributed to ‘high-risk’ police stations in different police regional offices nationwide.

The tactical vests are now coming in handy for policemen serving warrants of arrest and conducting other anti-criminality law enforcement operations and risking their lives while confronting armed and dangerous criminals.

The R. Espinelli Trading also supplied 212 units of caliber 5.56 Negev Light Machine Guns and 8,001 units of 9mm Arex Delta Striker Fired pistols to the organization.

The machine guns have been supplied to different regional mobile forces tasked to go after communist terrorists and other lawless elements in Mindanao and other parts of Luzon and Visayas regions while the pistols are or PNP-wide use.

In August last year, Gen. Azurin also presented to the public the P969 million worth of brand-new police equipment which include motor vehicles, weapons, and other equipment to further enhance their operational readiness and capability.

“As we continue to mobilize our police units through operational plans, strategic measures, and other crime prevention and solution initiatives, I would like to note that it is also important to continuously upgrade our equipment to further strengthen our anti-criminality campaign and other field operation strategies against illegal drugs, criminality, insurgency, and terrorism,” said the top cop.