By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The National Police Commission (Napolcom) expressed support for the thrusts of new Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III on swift police response and eight-hour shifts for police officers.
“The Napolcom supports the ‘three-minute response’ directive of General Torre for all police officers assigned in all cities and urban areas,” Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Rafael Calinisan said in a statement Tuesday.
Torre first implemented the three-minute police response time during his tenure as director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
Calinisan also backed Torre’s plan to reduce the work shift of police personnel to eight hours from the current 12 hours would make them more effective at work.
The new PNP chief earlier said the proposed eight-hour shift seeks to give police officers “more time with their families”.
Torre, however, said this would also mean no officers must be caught “sitting around or staring at their phones.”
“The Napolcom will support the PNP in pursuing reforms for the welfare of the people and improve the police force’s service,” he said.
Calinisan assured that under his watch, the Napolcom will work hard to preserve the trust and respect accorded to the new PNP chief.
“Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa malaking tiwala at karangalan na ipinatong sa balikat ng Napolcom ng ating bagong hepe ng PNP, si Gen. Torre. Hangga’t ako’y nasa Napolcom, hindi po kami titigil para masulit ang tiwala, sa pagsisikap na maging mahusay at katiwa-tiwala ang organisasyon ng pambansang pulisya (We’re grateful for the trust and honor bestowed to Napolcom by our new Chief of the PNP, Gen. Torre. Under my watch at Napolcom, we will be relentless to earn the trust, in our effort to secure the best and respectable police organization)” said Calinisan.
Before his appointment at the Napolco, Calinisan was the Chairman and Executive Officer of Quezon City’s People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB).
The body handles complaints against any law enforcement agent of the city, including abusive police officers.
Torre on Monday took over as the 31st chief of the 231,000-strong police force, replacing Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.
He is the first top cop to have graduated from the PNP Academy.
Scholarship program
Meanwhile, the Napolcom has resumed its scholarship assistance program for children of policemen who died or became permanently disabled in the line of duty.
Calinisan said they even expanded the scholarship program to include the full K-12 Program, as well as vocational and tertiary education.
“We extended the educational assistance not only to the legitimate but also to the illegitimate children of PNP (Philippine National Police) personnel who were either killed or rendered permanently disabled in the performance of their official duties or by reason of their office or position,” Calinisan said in a separate statement.
“The goal is to ensure sustained educational support from kindergarten through college.”
Calinisan said the resumption of the scholarship program is pursuant to the recently issued Department of Budget and Management-Department of the Interior and Local Government Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-01, which amends the administration of the net proceeds of the firearms licensing fees collected by the PNP.
He said these proceeds serve as the funding source for the scholarship assistance mandated by Republic Act 6963, which benefits the children of deceased or permanently incapacitated military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and uniformed personnel of the PNP, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
“This renewed effort underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to honor the heroism of military and uniformed personnel by supporting the educational journey of their children,” Calinisan said. (PNA)
