President Rodrigo Duterte once again promised the police to double their salaries starting December despite the insistence of administration officials that the funds for pay hike could no longer be incorporated in the 2017 national budget.
Speaking before the officials and members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Duterte said the salary of the police, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will be twice as big as the current pay starting December this year.
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“Davao City progressed tremendously because of the police and military who gave me their full support, so in return, what can I do for you?” Duterte said in his speech in the 115th police service anniversary celebration at Camp Crame on Wednesday.
“My dear policemen, police officers, I have increased your salaries. You’re the first—double your present salary by December, and I included the AFP and the PDEA. (You’re) working and gambling with your lives facing criminals,” he said.
Since the campaign period last May, doubling the salary of the police and military has been one of the major promises of Duterte.
He said raising their salary was to discourage them from engaging in corrupt activities and bribery.
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But Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno had repeatedly said that there was no allocation for the salary increases under the national budget.
“We cannot promise this August because, as you know, there is nothing in the budget for that. I don’t want to commit a violation of the DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) rule. You cannot spend on something that is not authorized by Congress,” Diokno said.
Senator Panfilo Lacson also said that it is “highly improbable, if not impossible,” to include the pay hike funds in the budget.
Lacson, a former police chief, said the salary increase might be given by 2018.