PNP also cool to detaching investigating arm

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is hedging on the proposal to detach its investigating arm, the Internal Affairs Service (IAS), from the organization.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac echoed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)’s view that the move could be unnecessary.

“The PNP posits the view that the proposal needs further study and may not be necessary. But we respect the opinion of IAS,” Banac said in a statement.

Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo, head of the IAS, is batting for the breakaway of his unit through the passage of a bill that would amend Republic Act 8551 or the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act to make the investigating unit an independent body.

But Banac believes that there are measures in place to strengthen the IAS as an organization and its independence, even without restructuring the entire PNP. He also said the PNP is ready to present its position on the bill should Congress ask for it. 

The DILG said the move may be unnecessary and cause “a lot of possible repercussions” on the functions of the department, PNP and the National Police Commission. 

DILG spokesman Jonathan Malaya said that the IAS is currently an important tool for the PNP to eradicate scalawags and rogue police officers in the force. He noted that the IAS’s role can be modified so that it could report directly to the PNP chief and the secretary of the DILG. 

Triambulo bared that under former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde, the IAS resolutions implemented by the PNP went down to around 30 percent.

This was compared to the time of Albayalde’s predecessor and now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa when IAS resolutions were automatically signed and implemented. Banac cautioned, though, that this claim needs further validation.

Banac also said that the newly installed PNP officer-in-charge has already directed a review of the processes of the IAS.