Pay hike for cops not in nat’l budget for 2017—Diokno

Budget Secretary Bejamin Diokno. CDN FILE PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Thursday said the salary increase for policemen was not included in the proposed 2017 national budget.

Speaking to reporters, Diokno said the increase promised by President Rodrigo Duterte was not in the P3.35-trillion national budget despite the budget being higher by 11.6 percent from the current budget.

READ: DBM to recommend P3.35-T nat’l budget for 2017

“Wala pa ‘yun. Pero kasali na sila dun sa salary standardization (The [salary increase] is not yet included [in the budget]. But the policemen are included in the salary standardization),” he said in an ambush interview.

Doubling the salary of policemen was a campaign promise of Duterte, who said it would encourage the cops to do their jobs better as it would boost their morale.

READ: Duterte vow to double cops’ pay will inspire them to do better

He said the increase would be implemented so that members of the Philippine National Police, perceived to be one of the most corrupt government agencies, would no longer engage in corrupt activities. RAM/rga