Will Camp Crame cops heed ‘no ID, no entry’ policy?

The private security guards’ strict adherence to the “no ID, no entry” policy turned out to be the clincher.

At least, that was apparently what convinced the chief of the Philippine National Police that private guards would make good sentries at Camp Crame.

Which means that arrogant police officials using their ranks to throw their weight around against those manning the camp gates should better mend their ways.

PNP Director General Alan Purisima on Monday expressed confidence that private security guards would be more effective in implementing the security measures at the PNP’s national headquarters than police

noncommissioned officers (PNCOs).

No one exempted

Purisima defended the decision of the PNP leadership to tap the services of private guards to secure Camp Crame in the wake of harsh criticisms the decision drew from users of social media.

“I think they (the security guards) would be stricter in implementing our security policies at Camp Crame because of their [service policy] of ‘no ID, no entry,’” Purisima said.

“Everybody will be subjected to the strict policies on entering the camp. Nobody will be exempted. That’s the regulation that we will implement,” he told reporters after the mass oath-taking of newly promoted police officers at Camp Crame.

No bullying, please

Purisima warned that policemen who would try to bully security guards to circumvent the security measures would face administrative charges.

“If they refuse to comply with the rules inside the camp, we will not hesitate to file the appropriate administrative charges against them,” he said.

The PNP chief also clarified that the security guards who would replace policemen normally posted at Camp Crame’s gates would still be under the close supervision of senior police officials.

He said the PNP bids and awards committee would immediately start the bidding process for the hiring of security guards. The project has an approved budget of P21 million.

In justifying the PNP’s move, Purisima noted that PNCOs, with the rank of police officer 1 to senior police officer 4, are all college graduates who are  assigned to “raise the boom bars” for vehicles entering Crame.

“We’re only wasting their talents. It’s better if we just pass that responsibility to security guards,” he said.

“Policemen are supposed to enforce the law and run after criminals. We will deploy them to the streets to serve the public as law enforcers.”

Petty crimes

Purisima said the PNP was close to finishing the guidelines that the bids and awards committee would follow in awarding the contract to a private

security agency.

The PNP earlier argued it would be practical to hire private guards for sentinel duties at Crame, noting that rookie policemen posted at the gates receive at least P18,000 in monthly salaries.

At present, about 100 personnel of the Headquarters Support Service are assigned to man the three main gates of the PNP’s national headquarters.

Despite being one of the most secured places in the country, petty crimes still occur in the 30-hectare police camp.

In December 2011, burglars broke into the office of the PNP Press Corps, located just a few steps from the Camp Base Police headquarters, and made off with a television set and audio component.

The incident prompted the PNP Public Information Office to install a closed-circuit TV camera outside the media office.

A joke

Purisima’s announcement last week that the PNP would hire private guards to man Crame’s gates drew sarcastic reactions from some Twitter users.

“This has to be a JOKE. Why spend P21 M on guards when the PNP has the people to do it? Out of control,” said Twitter user @whycani.

Another Twitter user, @seendee08, asked: “They cant protect their own?”