Control over the police

Philippine Daily Inquirer, Asia News Network, Manila

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has given the 17 Metro Manila mayors operational supervision and control over the local police. She is reportedly considering giving back to the mayors control over their police forces if the setup to be tested in Metro Manila proves more efficient in maintaining law and order.

The mayors have long been asking for such a setup. Actually, this is nothing new, because Republic Act 8551, which amended RA 6975, the Philippine National Police Law, gives the mayors operational control and supervision over the police.

To be sure there are misgivings. Some have expressed the fear that the mayors might again transform the police forces into private armies and use them to terrorize voters. Some said mayors would commit abuses and irregularities with the help of police.

But citizens are more vigilant. They have ousted two corrupt presidents. Voters have the power of recall which they can use to kick out of office any mayor who abuses the power of control over the police. The media will expose any abuse or irregularity that may be committed by mayors with the help of the police forces. Any mayor who commits abuses with the help of the police will soon find himself in the 6 p.m. newscast or in tomorrow's headlines or facing a case before the Office of the Ombudsman.

In the past, the mayor could employ any policemen he liked. Now, a recruit must first graduate from the police academy and pass a civil service exam before he can join the police force. A policeman cannot be fired without cause and due process; the mayor can still hire and fire him but he must the follow the rules. The mayor's power of appointment is also subject to the final approval of the National Police Commission.

It is the mayor who is responsible for maintaining law and order in his city or town. So the police must be accountable to the mayor. Mayors must be given the right to select their own police chiefs. They cannot maintain peace and order if they are at odds with their police chiefs.

The problem of disciplining erring policemen should also be easier. The National Police comprises 193,000 officers and men. With the police forces under the control of the mayors, they can more easily spot the erring policemen in the smaller units that they control and have them disciplined and punished.

The move to give mayors supervision and control over the local police should go along with the assignment of policemen to the communities where they live. The police would be more knowledgeable about the law and order situation in the communities to which they will be assigned; they would also be looking after the safety and security of their own families.

The law and order situation in many cities and towns is deteriorating. Kidnappings, robberies, killings and rapes are occurring at an alarming rate.

We hope that the current experiment in Metro Manila will be successful so that the new setup, with proper safeguards against abuses, can be adopted all over the nation.