PNP backs bill creating investigation modernization committee
Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame. File photo.
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it supported a bill creating the Crime Investigation Modernization Committee (CIMC), citing a need to keep up with trends in crime.
“We fully welcome and support any legislative measure that will further improve the PNP’s investigative capability,” Acting Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement on Thursday.
“This particular bill, if enacted into law, would provide our investigators the additional tools, training, and resources they need to keep pace with modern crime trends,” he added.
The proposal stems from House Bill No. 2244, aiming to “actively promote, induce and accelerate a sound and modern procedure in crime investigation.”
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The bill tasks the Interior Secretary, the PNP chief, the National Bureau of Investigation chief and two forensic science experts appointed by the president to comprise the CIMC.
The CIMC would be tasked with studying modern methods of criminal investigations, creating a manual for law enforcement officers and proposing a comprehensive program to Congress for investigation modernization.
It would also send scholars abroad to train in forensic science, collaborate with foreign police agencies and study the feasibility of a forensic science course in state universities and colleges.
“We see this bill as a vital step in ensuring that our police force is equipped not only to respond to crimes but to proactively investigate and resolve them in a professional and scientific manner,” Nartatez said.
“It will boost our case resolution rate and further enhance public trust in our institution,” he added. /jpv
