(For CHR Bulletin)

On Image Building:
PNP Solicits CHR’s Advise In Complete Makeover

They all came spic and span. Dignified in their well-pressed uniforms and obviously proud in wearing them as they patiently waited the arrival of the officials they hold in the highest esteem. They appeared no more than schoolboys eagerly excited to meet and present to their mentors their accomplishments. Every now and then while waiting, the men in uniform would glance at their modules, or stand up and try to review their power-point presentation. Surprisingly, they looked like typical young urban professionals (yuppies) sans their police uniforms and definitely not the police `rouges’ (read: `kotong’ cops) everyone readily branded them to be. As they say, one sees a police officer in the streets and one has already seen them all-- “Crooks alike.” And this is the essence of their visit to the Commission, to eradicate that very demeaning public image.

Officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) sat down with Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Officer-in-Charge Commissioner Quintin B. Cueto, lll together with Commissioner Wilhelm D. Soriano, Commissioner-in-Charge of the National Capital Region (NCR), to present their blueprint of the cops’ reform initiative program and at the same time consult with the independent Constitutional body to recommend measures on how to improve said project.

The courtesy visit was set in the morning of September 7, 2006 with the presence of top rank PNP officials led by PSupt. Durana, PSupt. and Warren A. Tolito.

The visiting PNP contingent gathered the CHR’s inputs as they presented their Model Police Station Project in Marikina City. According to Psupt. Tolito, said project was in its pre-pilot phase but the Police organization wants to replicate the concept once it is able to find it successful and acceptable to communities within their areas of jurisdiction.

“We wanted to reach out to the vulnerable sector of the society especially the poor and show them that we are their friends and not the kind of people who victimized rather than protect and secure their safety from bad elements,” volunteered one of the Police officials as he emphasized the relevance of their project.

Dubbed as the PNP Integrated Transformation Program, the law enforcers described the concept as transformation of the police force into a more capable, effective and credible organization.--. A public-friendly law enforcers, ready to protect and to serve the people.

As the visitors presented their objective i.e. to have a good public image, officials of the CHR engaged them in a serious discussion on how they must be able to totally erase the police’s bad image obviously resulting from the misdemeanors committed by PNP’s men or their colleagues which the Commissioners find as something to be taken into account.

According to the CHR officials once the public have read or heard something about illegal activities involving the police force, people are likely to make sweeping statements and are inclined to believe the stories rather than give the police the benefit of the doubt and take the reports with a grain of salt, so to speak. They (the public) automatically condemn the entire organization, “hook, line and sinker.” No isolated cases. “The PNP is nothing but a bunch of hoodlums,” the people would say as if seeing police brutality is the most usual order of the day. Funny, but for the public, what is unusual or abnormal is seeing a good cop. The PNP does need a complete (image) makeover. And the CHR is being asked to help them on their predicament.

Admittedly, the CHR officials agreed that the PNP leadership indeed needs a lot of “soul-searching” and organizational review on how to transform their current image to a better one. It should not necessarily be an abrupt 360-degree turn, OIC Commissioner Cueto and NCR CIC Soriano stressed, but more importantly, people must see sincere effort that they (the police) are trying to be model individuals worthy of emulation and respect from the people they ought to serve and protect.

In the course of the discussions, the cops asked the CHR’s assistance in conducting human rights lectures in their respective places of assignments specifically engaging those riot police deployed during protest rallies which the (the police) may use handily and effectively in their interaction with the rallyists to which the two CHR officials readily agreed.

“People must realize that in the course of doing our job, we are truly human-rights compliant. Definitely we need all the help from the Commission,” the PNP representatives chorused.

As the presentation ended, the CHR leaders assured the PNP of its support to its well-meaning endeavor, as the two CHR officials likewise showed appreciation of the PNP’s initiative to transform their current public image. With strong determination and political will, PNP’s leadership will definitely attain their utmost objective. xxx