PNP-IAS should be separate from police force — Lacson

Panfilo Lacson during a town hall meeting in Pangasinan on April 25, 2022. Photo from Lacson-Sotto media bureau

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (IAS) should be separate from the police force so that investigations into PNP personnel would be independent and transparent, former senator Panfilo Lacson said on Wednesday.

During the Pandesal Forum in Quezon City, Lacson explained that the IAS of other countries’ police forces usually strike fear among officers as they know that it investigates intently and independently.

This is not the case in the Philippines, Lacson pointed out.

“I think the PNP law should be revisited, let us strengthen the Internal Affairs Service. We have that, but it is not functioning properly. It is still under the control of the Chief PNP, but it should be a separate service wherein its personnel can conduct inquiries or investigations against erring policemen independently,” Lacson said in Filipino.

“In the United States, if police officers hear that the internal affairs will conduct a probe, they are alerted, frightened because they know it will be a legitimate investigation,” he added.

Lacson also pointed out that personnel assigned to the IAS should not be allowed to return to the PNP’s regular service, and vice versa.

“Our Internal Affairs Service here, the head also has a director general rank, but his personnel comes from the PNP. It might be better if it is an independent agency, separate from the service, where its officers cannot return to the PNP, and cannot be reassigned so that the investigation will really be independent.)

The PNP-IAS currently has its hands full due to recent revelations at the House of Representatives’ quad committee hearings, particularly about the killing of former Tanauan, Batangas mayor Antonio Halili in July 2018, and the assassination of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga in July 2020.

READ: Controversial Tanauan mayor shot during flag ceremony 

READ: Napolcom’s Leonardo, Garma tagged in killing of PCSO’s Barayuga 

The IAS is currently investigating both incidents.

READ: PNP Internal Affairs probes officers linked to Barayuga slay case

READ: PNP to reexamine 2018 killing of Tanauan mayor

At the quad committee hearing last September 27, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza claimed that former police colonel Royina Garma and resigned National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo masterminded the killing of Barayuga.

Barayuga was board secretary when Garma was PCSO’s general manager.

Garma and Leonardo have denied knowledge and involvement in the killing.

READ: Napolcom’s Leonardo, Garma tagged in killing of PCSO’s Barayuga 

Last Friday, Oct. 11, after revealing that a rewards system existed in the Duterte administration’s drug war, Garma also admitted that a police officer bragged about killing Halili.

Halili was famous for initiating the “Flores de Pusher” campaign, where criminals were forced to walk through the streets of Tanauan City just like Flores de Mayo procession while wearing placards showing the crime they allegedly committed.  It was criticized by human rights groups.

Duterte, however, said Halili might have been killed due to his alleged link to the illegal drug trade. Almost a year before his death, Halili was stripped of control over the local police after being included in the drug watchlist.