THE director of the Philippine National Police Civil Security Group (PNP-CSG) on Wednesday vowed to provide their clients with better service, one which will make them fully satisfied as they leave the different PNP-CSG offices which supervise the operations of the Firearms and Explosives Office and Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies.

“We are dealing with very sensitive matters here as we supervise the offices which regulate guns and explosives in the country which is the PNP-FEO and the one which regulates private security agencies which is the PNP-SOSIA,” PNP-CSG director, Brigadier General Benjamin H. Silo Jr. told the Journal Group.

The lawyer-police general said earning more revenues which go to the PNP Trust Receipt would be secondary to him. “On a yearly basis, I only want to maintain our revenues while preventing shortcuts and eliminating the presence of fixers in our departments,” Brig. Gen. Silo said.

He added that he is more after the convenience and satisfaction of their clientele without sacrificing the integrity and performance of the PNP-CSG when it comes to earning revenues.

Brig. Gen. Silo wants all PNP-SOSIA and PNP-FEO officers and men to provide good service to their clientele. “Gusto ko satisfied lahat ang clients namin. Yung me conscience ang mga personnel and compliant sa lahat ng laws and Implementing Rules and Regulations regarding security guards and firearms and explosives. Yung magtino lang sila at sumunod sa tamang patakaran, no shortcuts,” he emphasized.

The PNP-CSG director was given the job of helping address the presence of loose firearms in the country by PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. last month. To do the job, he said he has tapped the help of the Cinema Association of the Philippines in showing a free audio-visual presentation of their plans and projects to address the proliferation of unlicensed guns across the country.

Brig. Gen. Silo said they are also tapping the help of all municipal, city and provincial governments in their promotional campaign.

He said that come August 28, they will also take advantage of the Comelec authority to require all networks to provide free air time to the government to ensure safe Sangguniang Kabataan and Barangay elections.

“Mas tensiyonado ang SK/Barangay polls kaya dapat talagang mabawasan natin ang presensiya ng loose firearms sa buong bansa,” the PNP-CSG director said.

NEW PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS CORRUPTION

Brig. Gen. Silo said they are also introducing system changes in their online firearms licensing system wherein an individual’s License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOFP) will already show his/her registered guns.

He said they are streamlining their policies in compliance with the anti-corruption program of the government.

“I want to specifically address corruption, those who commit deceit, fraud etc in my units. Gusto ko yung walang malisya, walang pandaraya, walang halong panloloko sa aming mga kliyente,” Brig. Gen. Silo said.

For a start, he created teams that will monitor PNP-SOSIA and PNP-FEO personnel. “We also have our Inspectorate Team to probe our erring personnel,” he said.

Brig. Gen. Silo said he likewise wants their clientele to know their process flow thru the installation of LED TV monitors that will feature their infomercials. “We’ve created our own Client and Assistance and Service Center to do this,” he said.

The official said he is specifically against corruption in the PNP-CSG. “Galit ako sa mga maling practices like ok na papel mo pero nadi-delay pa din ang release at tila ba waiting for something yung me hawak ng papel,” he emphasized.

Brig. Gen. Silo said he has also received the green light from the PNP leadership to open their One-Stop Shop on Saturdays and Sundays to better accommodate the public and provide more parking spaces for their clients applying for new or renewing their firearms’ licenses or security guard permits.

“Soon we will be full-blast na din sa pagbukas ng aming mga satellite offices sa mga shopping malls, We will also do the same in our Regional Civil Security Units. Gusto kong ibaba mga tao sa RCSUs para magbigay ng serbisyo na kailangan ng mga tao,” he said.

Brig. Gen. Silo said PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Major Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo has also given the nod to his recommendation that ‘big points’ be given to police regional offices who will make significant accomplishments in their Revitalized: Oplan Katok.

“It’s part of our huge effort to account for loose firearms. Ilan ang notices given ng mga line units? Ilan ba ang nag-parenew dahil sa mga notices na ito?,” he said.

The PNP-CSG will provide the PROs and the different PNP National Operational Support Units led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group with the list of delinquent firearms’ holders every 15th and 30th of the month, he said.

“We will make it redundant para we can achieve more in our campaign against loose firearms which directly affect crime statistics in the country,” the former Police Regional Office 11 director in Southern Mindanao declared.

The official who joined the PNP Officers’ Corps in 1991 waxed sentimental when he assumed his new post after a sterling performance at the PRO11 where he was its regional director from March 1, 2022 until last month. He will retire on June 6, 2025.

” I’d like to share with you that during my stint as Regional Director of PRO11, the entire Police Regional Office 11 was able to garner 90 percent or an outstanding result in terms of public trust, respect and safety index in a survey conducted by the Mindanao Development Authority. I want to challenge you to surpass, if not replicate this outstanding feat of the PRO11 police,” he said as he called on his men to further raise the bar of police service.

The official said they need to maintain the trust and respect of the citizenry as they continue to be a main frontline service provider of the national police force.

“Let us help each other and be a team that will contribute to the accomplishments of the CSG’s mission and the entire Philippine National Police (PNP),” he said.

Lastly, the lawyer-police general reminded his personnel to bear in their minds that “I am always fair in all my dealings; I am part of the team that investigated the AK-47 and Werfast controversies; I am formerly the chief investigator of the PNP-CIDG and the Regional Chief of CIDG Bicol Region and Central Luzon; my forte is investigation.”