OUTGOING Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Debold M. Sinas, said he will be leaving the police force with the full assurance to his men and the general public that they fully battled corruption and implementedxfull transparency in all their transactions.

The full transparency will be felt specially when it comes to the procurement of equipment needed to boost the ‘move, shoot, communicate and investigate’ capabilities and more importantly, materials including medicines and medical equipment needed by the police force to treat their personnel who have contracted the dreaded COVID-19 virus.

“We have a well-placed anti-corruption, a well-placed transparency program especially when it comes to the bidding of our equipment, specifically those involving the so-called G-to-G’ or government-to government,” the 25th PNP chief told the Journal Group in an exclusive interview.

New and long-term initiates were implemented by the PNP under Sinas in response to the so many challenges that have confronted and are still confronting the PNP under the new normal.

In 2020, the PNP further improved its resource management despite the existence of the pandemic which almost paralyzed the economy.

As a result, the absorptive capacity of the PNP National Headquarters Bids and Awards Committee in obligating the fund for their Capability Enhancement Program 2020 was placed at 86 percent which translates to its capacity and expertise in conducting procurement projects necessary for the implementation of the PP’s administrative and operational functions.

The PNP optimized the utilization of its financial and logistical resources to enhance its ‘move, shoot, communicate and investigate’ capabilities with the procurement of equipment worth P1,714,781,948.00 under the CEP 2020.

Sinas said that thru the PNP Integrity Management and Enforcement Group, they made sure that there will be an unrelenting police crackdown against rogues in uniform.

From August 2018 to present, the PNP-IMEG had conducted 133 operations which resulted in the arrest of 20 Police Commissioned Officers, 133 Police Non-Commissioned Officers, 140 civilians and another law enforcement agent following entrapment operations triggered by complaints that the accused were involved in robbery-extortion, mulcting and other irregularities.

Since November last year, the PNP-IMEG under newly-promoted Brigadier Gen. Thomas R. Frias Jr. has already arrested 25 suspects including one commissioned officers and five PCOs.

Sinas said he made it sure that the IMEG will file criminal and administrative charges against rogues in uniform with a warning that he will go after IMEG officers and men who will fail in ensuring an airtight case against the accused leading to their non-conviction.

No-Take Policy

“I also made sure that we will follow President Rodrigo Duterte’s no take policy since this is connected to our anti-corruption campaign. From the start, no-take policy kami, wala kayong maririnig na me opisyal, lalo na regional director na tumatanggap, etc.,” he said.

However, he admitted that the system is yet to be perfected.

“Hindi kami perpekto, me mangilan-ngilan pa ring napapabalita na tumatanggap sa mga gambling lords, sa mga other illegal sources pero I will tell you, hindi yan widespread. Localized lang yan kasi alam nila na mai-imbestigahan sila at mare-relieve for violation of our no-take policy.

“Pag tumanggap ka kasi, compromised na ang integrity mo. Kaya mas maganda na hindi ma-eexpose ang isang opisyal na nangongolekta o tumatanggap,” he said.

Sinas said it was also the very same reason why he has ordered the PNP-IMEG to improve its presence right inside the different PNP Training Centers.

“PNP-IMEG agents are now assigned in the different RTCs to monitor possible irregularities including the so-called ‘issuematic’ issue. Every one to two months, their men are being rotated,” the top cop said.

As part of the sustained implementation of the PNP Internal Cleansing Program, the PNP has already enhanced their internal disciplinary mechanisms which has been divided into three components: preventive, punitive and restorative.

Last year, a total of 1,073 policemen were dismissed from the service; 204 were demoted; 1,601 were suspended; 325 had their pay forfeited; 728 were reprimanded; 48 were ordered restricted to quarters; 120 had their privileges withheld; and six were admonished for involvement in criminal or administrative cases.

However, the PNP ‘reward and punishment’ program also made sure that more than 2.2 million major and minor awards were given to deserving PNP personnel.

Sinas also said that when it comes to resource management, they saw to it that they will have full financial and logistical reforms which were all aimed at increasing their efficiency thru the optimum utilization of financial and logistical resources.