Mas makatuwiran na panuntunan ang ipapatupad sa pagtatalaga ng mga hepe at commanders ng Philippine National Police (PNP) sa iba’t ibang hurisdiksiyon oras na maisabatas ang panukalang inihain ni Senador Panfilo Lacson.

Sa Senate Bill 971 na iniakda at inihain ni Lacson, ipinaliwanag nitong pangunahin niyang layunin na tuluyan nang ipaubaya sa hanay mismo ng pulisya ang karapatan ang pagtatalaga ng mga opisyal upang hindi na maimpluwensiyahan ng iba pang grupo o indibiduwal na may ibang interes.

“While the constitutionality of such appointive jurisdiction is a settled question, nothing prevents the Congress from reviewing the wisdom and logic behind said policy in order to further enhance police professionalism and to isolate the police service from political domination,” paliwanag ni Lacson na naging epektibong pinuno ng PNP bago pumasok sa lehislatura.

Related: Lacson bill seeks to boost professionalization among PNP commanders

[Basahin: Senate Bill 971, Professionalizing Police Service]

Sa umiiral na kalakaran, karaniwan na lamang na nagkakaroon ng utang na loob sa isa’t isa ang isang politiko at ang naitatalagang hepe ng pulisya sa lugar nito kung kaya’t nakokompromiso ang mga responsibilidad, tungkulin at obligasyon ng magkabilang panig.

“Controversies in the past have developed a public perception that conflict of interest arises when Provincial Directors and Police Chiefs end up being indebted to local chief executives because of the latter’s appointive authority,” banggit pa ng mambabatas.

Sa ilalim ng panukala ni Lacson, malinaw kung sinu-sino lamang ang puwedeng makapagtalaga ng mga magiging pinuno ng pulisya sa isang partikular na lugar.

Ang PNP regional director ay may kapangyarihan na magtalaga ng provincial/district director.

Ang provincial o district director din ang bibigyan ng kapangyarihan na magtalaga ng hepe ng pulisya sa isang bayan o lunsod.

“Provincial/district directors shall be chosen by the regional director from a list of three qualified candidates recommended by the PNP Senior Officers Placement and Promotion Board,” paliwanag pa sa panukala.

“Meanwhile, the chiefs of police of towns and cities shall be chosen by the provincial/district director from a list of five qualified candidates recommended by the PNP Senior Officers Placement and Promotion Board,” banggit pa nito.

“Chiefs of police of highly urbanized cities and independent component cities, as well as district directors of the Metro Manila police shall be chosen by the regional director under the same conditions,” dagdag pa ng mambabatas.

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