Drilon: We need to boost the morale of the police after Mamasapano clash

By: Maila Ager - 10 years ago

Senate President Franklin Drilon INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Franklin Drilon said he was “deeply concerned” about the reported demoralization in the police organization following the death of 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) during the Mamasapano operation last January 25.

No less than the officer in charge of the PNP, Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, has admitted that the organization is in crisis.

“I’m deeply concerned about the situation. Ang kailangan po maibalik natin ang morale ng ating Kapulisan (It is necessary for us to bring back the morale of our police force),”Drilon said in an interview Thursday.

“I’m certain that there are enough structures and policies that can bring back the morale of our PNP,” he further said.

And to address the growing sentiments by some sectors over the death of the SAF men, the Senate leader said the government should explain what it has been doing to avoid the same mistakes in the future.

“We are an open society, we will just have to explain to the people what the government is doing,” he said.

“Nangyari’t nangyari ito, kailangang matugunan at mabigyan natin ng solusyon kung ano man ang ating nakikitang mga problema at kung ano mang hindi sinunod kung bakit nangyari ito para hindi na po maulit at maparusahan ‘yung mga nagkasala,’ Drilon added.

(This has already happened. We need respond to this and solve the problems we have encountered and the protocols that were not followed as to why this had happened so it will not happen again and that we may punish those responsible.)

On Monday (Feb. 9), the Senate committee on public order joint with committees on peace, unification and reconciliation, and finance, will conduct its first hearing on the Mamasapano incident.

Among those invited in the hearing were police and military officials, including suspended PNP Chief Director General Alan Purisima, who already confirmed his attendance, representatives of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and at least two of the SAF survivors.