Mystery of doubled pay: More cops’ wives cry nonsupport

MANILA, Philippines — The doubling of the monthly pay of policemen has led to a twofold increase in the number of wives complaining of not getting financial support from their husbands.

After the salary increase for policemen took effect this year, the Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) has observed a surge in complaints of nonsupport from wives, according to Brig. Gen. Gerry Galvan.

Galvan, who heads the PNP-IAS inspection and audit division, pointed out that the nonsupport cases fell under the category of violence against women and children.

“The (PNP) national headquarters has a new policy released last Jan. 19 where the PNP-WCPC (Women and Children Protection Center) will handle these cases,” he said in an interview on radio station dzBB.

“We received some 100 complaints (this year). This is apart from the cases which were settled among the parties through mediation,” he said.

Walk-in complaints

Most of the walk-in complaints that the PNP-IAS receives daily are for nonsupport, he noted.

The monthly salary of a private or police officer 1 rose from P14,834 to P29,668. A chief master sergeant or senior police officer 3 now receives P34,761 a month.

A first chief master sergeant or senior police officer 4 gets a monthly salary of P38,366 and a general or police director general receives P149,785.

The PNP-IAS is an independent and impartial body tasked with investigating and imposing administrative sanctions on policemen for possible violations of the police operating procedures and other laws.

The unit also investigates on its own initiative police operations where there are casualties.

Galvan said the handling of nonsupport cases had been delegated to the PNP-WCPC because of the small number of PNP-IAS personnel.

His unit has only 875 members nationwide tasked with investigating crimes and misdemeanors committed by members of the 200,000-strong PNP. —Reports from Jeannette I. Andrade and Inquirer Research