Cops told to keep socmed posts a political
REMAIN apolitical even in your social media posts and refrain from campaigning for or against any political aspirant in the 2022 elections.
This was the reminded made by Philippine National Police chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar to his men on Monday. The top cop also had urged PNP personnel to avail of the extended voter registration so that they may exercise their right to suffrage.
“While I am encouraging all police personnel to exercise their right to suffrage as citizens, they must remain apolitical in carrying out their mandate as members of the PNP,” he pointed out.
Gen. Eleazar cautioned policemen from expressing their political leanings on social media as such would go against the organization’s non-partisan stance in politics.
“I am reminding all police personnel to be mindful of what they post on their social networking accounts and refrain from showing support for or campaigning against local or national political aspirants,” he said.
“These may be personal accounts maintained by PNP personnel but anything posted in them would ultimately reflect on the organization and put to question our apolitical stance,” he explained.
The PNP chief reminded police personnel of the existing PNP Memorandum Circular containing the Guidelines and Procedures on Social Media Content, Post and Engagement Utilizing Social Media Accounts and Individual Accounts of PNP Personnel.
The PNP Memorandum Circular contains a prohibition on social media posts that would be inimical to the interest of the PNP as an organization and prescribes administrative sanctions on violators of the ban.
“Uulitin ko ang babala sa bawat pulis na huwag makisawsaw sa pulitika. Ang tanging dapat natin panigan ay ang bansa at ang taumbayan, hindi ang ilang personalidad, pulitiko o partido,” he stressed.
Gen. Eleazar had also directed all police personnel to avoid posting campaign materials on their vehicles, police stations, and camps.
Anticipating early campaigning by some political aspirants after the period for the filing of Certificates of Candidacy ends, he stressed that PNP personnel must remain apolitical.
“Inaasahan natin na pagkatapos ng prosesong ito ay magsusulputan na ang mga stickers at mga posters ng mga ilang kandidato para sa maagang pangangampanya. Kaya muli ay pinapaalalahanan natin ang aming kapulisan na wala dapat nakadikit na mga ganitong uri ng early campaign materials sa mga sasakyan ng pulis, mga police stations at maging sa mga kampo,” he said.
“We understand that there has been an unresolved gray area on this issue but we assure the public that we will continue to isolate your PNP from any form of partisan politics. As a professional organization, the apolitical stand of the PNP is an absolute necessity. We intend to keep it that way,” he added.
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