PNP welcomes law modifying rank classification

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) welcomed the new law that modified the rank classification of police officers, returning their old ranks similar to military titles.

PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Bernard Banac said the new law clarifies the command and responsibility in the police force for effective and efficient supervision and control among its uniformed personnel.

“The rank classification will contribute to more performance output and productivity from the police for having high morale, as they wil be called again the way they were addressed before,” he said in a statement.

Banac said the public still finds it difficult to follow and understand their current ranks.

Col. Noel Detoyato, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office chief, said the return of police ranks to military titles would eliminate the confusion created by these civilian police titles.

“This is a welcome development for us because we too are confused. Despite prevailing civilian ranks of policemen, most of them are still being addressed by the common people as sarge or general,” Detoyato said.

“Restoring the previous military rank to our policemen is no problem for us. In fact, it will erase the prevailing confusion among us,” said Detoyato. Prior to the creation of the PNP, the now defunct Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police (PC-INP) sported military ranks or titles.

Detoyato said only the rank titles of the policemen will change, as the PNP will still function as the country’s sole civilian police force.

President Duterte signed Republic Act 11200, which standardizes the way PNP officers are called, into law last Feb. 8.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former PNP chief, said the measure eliminates confusion on how our law enforcers must be addressed and brings our policemen closer to the populace. 

Lacson said the rank classification system should remove confusion on how to address police officers, noting that people still tend to address them by their military rank assignments. – With Jaime Laude