Senate Unanimously Passes Bill for Philippine National Police Organizational Reforms

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is on the brink of a significant overhaul following the Senate’s unanimous approval of a bill aimed at instituting new organizational reforms. On Monday, the chamber signaled its strong support for the proposed changes by voting 23-0 in favor of Senate Bill (SB) 2449, moving the legislation one step closer to being enacted into law.

According to Philippines News Agency, a former PNP chief and the bill’s sponsor, the passage of SB 2449 marks a pivotal moment in the long-sought efforts to reform the PNP. He expressed gratitude towards his Senate colleagues and those involved in the bill’s development for their support in bringing these changes to the forefront. Dela Rosa highlighted the significance of the reforms, emphasizing their potential to positively transform the PNP and expressing optimism about the future implementation of the legislation.

SB 2449 aims to amend two key pieces of legislation: Republic Act (RA) 6975, also known as the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, and RA 8551, the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998. The bill seeks to institutionalize several offices under the National Police Commission, including the PNP Directorial Staff, Area Police Command, Special Offices, and enhance the National Administrative and Operational Support Units. A notable change proposed by SB 2449 is the shift in authority to appoint chiefs of police from local mayors and governors to the PNP chief.

Additionally, the bill intends to elevate the PNP Academy’s status by awarding cadets the title of Police Cadets and providing them with salaries, benefits, and emoluments equivalent to those of a police executive master sergeant. The legislation also aligns the PNP’s compulsory retirement age with that of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, setting it at 57 years old to ensure uniformity across uniformed personnel.

Further reforms outlined in SB 2449 include granting the PNP chief the power to order the preventive confinement of erring police personnel, a measure aimed at enhancing discipline and accountability within the force.

As the bill progresses towards becoming law, the anticipated reforms represent a significant step forward in the evolution of the Philippine National Police, promising to instill greater efficiency, discipline, and professionalism within its ranks.