Fariñas defends Congress police bill

MANILA, Philippines — House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas stood pat yesterday on his proposal for the establishment of a Congress police that will protect congressmen and senators and their families, despite getting flak from netizens on social media.  

“My dear colleagues: I did not really invent the idea of a Philippine Legislative Police,” he told reporters covering the House of Representatives through his Viber group, defending House Bill 6208 that he authored which called for the creation of a Congress police. 

The Ilocos Norte congressman then showed and furnished the House media with pictures of the current US Capitol Police – after which he may have patterned his bill – that was formed in 1828 with headquarters based in Washington. 

As if the files weren’t self-explanatory, Fariñas sent reporters a definition from Wikipedia where such police is described as a “federal law enforcement agency charged with protecting the US Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the US and its territories.”  

The tasks of the US Capitol Police, which has about 2,200 officers, include “dignitary protection, threat assessment, intelligence and criminal investigations and hazardous devices like bomb squad.”  

The US Congress’ police jurisdiction also covers “congressional buildings, parks and thoroughfares, members of Congress, officers of Congress and their families throughout the US, its territories and possessions.”  

The US Capitol Police likewise has its own flag, patch and badge. 

But while Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon agreed with Fariñas’ proposal, lawmakers from the independent opposition bloc rejected the idea, noting that this would send the wrong, if not mixed, signal to the general public about privileged lawmakers seeking more privileges. 

“That would be institutionalizing a police contingent at the expense of the government for legislators. That will not sit well with our constituents or with the public as a whole,” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said.

Under the Fariñas proposal, the Congress police force will be separate, independent and distinct from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation or any other law enforcement agency for that matter. 

Lagman pointed out that congressmen are already entitled to request for two police security officials from the PNP for safety concerns.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin said that there seemed to be a growing impunity of privileges and entitlement being sought by congressmen with Farinas’ proposal.

“The Duterte administration, it seems, is promoting impunity all over the place. This kind of impunity, in the end, will be rejected by our people especially now that privileges and entitlements are just being brazenly branded about by top officials,” he said.

Villarin noted the recent request to grant congressmen immunity from traffic violations and the redaction of the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of some Cabinet officials. 

Fariñas lamented the two chambers’ dependence on government law enforcement agencies like the PNP and the NBI in performing their legislative functions of compelling resource persons to attend inquiries.