Newly installed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Nicolas Torre III on Monday said that among the metrics for the performance of cops will be the number of arrests.
Torre made the statement when asked about his order to police officers in connection with the order of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to go after small-scale drug offenders.
“Kasama sa metrics natin ang number of arrests. Paramihan, paramihan. Kung noon, you know, make sure that everything we do are within the ambit of the law. Aresto,” Torre said in a press conference.
(Our metrics include the number of arrests. More and more. If before, you know, make sure that everything we do is within the ambit of the law. Arrests.)
“Kung talagang magaling kang pulis, hindi ka papayag na ang kriminal na ‘yan, they’re going scot-free. There’s only one way of doing that. Arestuhin mo sila,” he added.
“If you’re really a good police officer, you won’t let this criminal go, they’re going scot-free. And there’s only one way of doing that. Arrest them.)
Asked about the possible abuse by police officers due to this order, Torre noted that cops should arrest the suspects alive. If there are complaints of abuse, he said the PNP’s internal discipline mechanism will address the issue.
“Tandaan natin ang mga tao na inaresto mo, hindi mo binaril, hindi mo pinatay. Buhay ‘yan,” he said.
(Let’s remember, the people you arrested, you didn’t shoot, you didn’t kill. They’re alive.)
“Andyan ang human rights, andyan ang media, andyan ang mga abogado. Kapag magreklamo ‘yan, dito ka naman babalik sa internal discipline machinery. Nandyan ang Internal Affairs Service, iimbestigahan, titingnan kung tama ang iyong ginawa,” he added.
(There are human rights advocates, the media, lawyers. If they complain, you’ll go back to the internal discipline machinery. There’s the Internal Affairs Service, they’ll investigate, they’ll check if you did the right thing.)
The PNP chief said cops who will be accused of abuse will also receive legal assistance from the police organization.
In an interview with broadcast journalist Anthony Taberna, Marcos earlier said he wants law enforcers to go after small-scale drug dealers while strictly upholding due process in its anti-drug operations.
“So ngayon, in the same vein, part of the lesson of this election, let’s go back to ‘yung sa grassroots level. Kung inaalala ng tao, sinasabi, nagbabalikan (ang drugs) dito, sige, tuloy natin ‘yung malalaking drug bust,” Marcos said.
(Right now, in the same vein, part of the lesson of this election, let’s go back to the grassroots level. If people were saying that illegal drugs have come back, let’s continue the huge drug busts.)
“Tuloy natin… ikukulong natin ‘yung mga sangkot diyan sa drugs. Pero tingnan na muna natin ‘yung mas small offender,” he added.
(Let’s continue, let’s put to jail those involved in illegal drugs. But let’s look first at the small offender.) —KG, GMA Integrated News
