Lacson hopes pay hike would encourage cops to be more job-focused

Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Sunday that as the salary increase of policemen takes effect on January 1, 2019, it bears watching if cops will be more focused on their job of serving the people.

With all the benefits and unprecedented salary hike accorded to the military and uniformed personnel, Lacson said he has “high hopes that this will materialize.”

“Thanks to the strong political will of President Rodrigo Duterte who almost single-handedly pushed for the same, there is every reason for right-thinking police officers to love and secure their profession, not to mention to be motivated enough to show a debt of gratitude to their Commander-in-Chief who made an almost impossible legislation to pass,” he added.

A joint resolution of Congress earlier approved a 100 percent increase in the salary of a police officer 1 or from P14,834 to P29,668.

However, the increase for higher ranks would not be at 100 percent. The Philippine National Police (PNP) director general, for example, would only receive a 79 percent salary hike in 2019.

As a former chief of the PNP from 1999-2001, Lacson reminisced how every individual is molded to become a policeman.

“Looking back, I can’t help but realize how we – starting from our cadetship in the Philippine Military Academy, all the way to retirement from the uniformed service, were fed, clothed, sheltered, and provided with all the logistical support and more – should have no reason whatsoever not to give back all we can, even our lives to government and the Filipino taxpayers who spent for all that we needed,” he said.

“That is why it is deplorable, to say the least, when we hear of ranking military and police officers who abuse their positions, steal government funds, and even the meal allowances of their men,” Lacson added. /ee

READ: PNP: Pay hike ‘fitting recognition’ of cops’ service, sacrifice