"Itong mga datos natin na mga nasasangkot na mga pulis ay from time to time inilalabas natin iyan. Tayo naman ay open at transparent sa mga action taken natin. Hindi natin itatago ito, iyon ang kaya natin i-assure na lahat ng mga pulis na nai-involve dito ay inilalabas natin iyong mga kaso. In fact, hindi lang basta inilalabas, kami rin po ang tumutulong para ma-prosecute po sila rito sa mga kaso ng mga ibang pulis involving po ng mga misdemeanor, grave misconduct. Ang mga tumatayo rin mismong mga testigo riyan ay mga kapwa pulis, which is a clear indication na kami po mismo rito ay ayaw namin na nababahiran iyong mga uniporme namin ng masasamang mga pulis na kagaya po nitong mga pulis na nai-involve."
Mistaken identity, panunutok ng baril, paggamit ng iligal na droga at iba pang kontrobersiya sa PNP ang sasagutin ni PNP Spokesperson PCol Jean Fajardo. Mapapanood ang buong panayam sa #TheMangahasInterviews.
Mistaken identity, panunutok ng baril, paggamit ng iligal na droga at iba pang kontrobersiya sa PNP ang sasagutin ni PNP Spokesperson PCol Jean Fajardo. Mapapanood ang buong panayam sa #TheMangahasInterviews.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:05 Good day to all of you.
00:06 We are back with the news.
00:08 Our police have a lot of work but also a lot of cases recently.
00:15 We are joined by Colonel Jean Fajardo,
00:22 spokesperson of the Philippine National Police.
00:25 She is the first woman to sit in that position
00:29 and she is also a lawyer.
00:31 Good day, Colonel Jean.
00:33 Good day, Ma'am Alu.
00:35 Alright.
00:36 Let's start.
00:37 You are already familiar with our program
00:40 because we have talked a lot about the Philippine National Police.
00:44 First, Senator Bato de la Rosa said
00:47 that the main reason for the failure of the PNP reforms
00:57 is that we need to add more work.
01:00 We accept the requests of our members
01:04 because we believe that if we are given work,
01:08 it will also be a way to improve our performance.
01:12 The recent issues surrounding the PNP
01:16 are being taken seriously by the PNP leadership.
01:20 Okay.
01:21 But recently, you had a focused effort.
01:25 The five-person committee was resigned
01:29 and the colonels and generals passed a mass courtesy resignation.
01:35 But what happened?
01:36 Only 18 were appointed and now,
01:39 only the rank and file are appointed.
01:41 That's right, Ma'am.
01:42 If we can remember, this year,
01:45 our SILG called for a recommendation
01:49 to the chief PNP, Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr.
01:55 So we, 953 third-level officers,
01:59 from police colonel to police general,
02:02 submitted a courtesy resignation
02:05 to give way to the request of our members.
02:08 Now that process is over,
02:11 and you're right,
02:12 only 18 were appointed and received their courtesy resignation.
02:18 But our efforts are focused on the so-called second-level officers,
02:24 from patrolman to lieutenant colonel.
02:26 Before the call for the courtesy call,
02:32 we have been cleaning the house.
02:36 In fact, if I'm not mistaken,
02:39 from January to August 30,
02:41 we have already solved more than 4,000 cases involving our police personnel.
02:47 We have dismissed more than 950 cases.
02:53 This is the only thing that proves that we are taking our discipline and cleaning seriously.
03:00 Okay.
03:01 It's not a rule that if we will do it,
03:04 our police will be dirty or dirty.
03:07 But the Commission on Human Rights said
03:09 that there are more than 200 pending cases in your dockets.
03:14 You're saying that 4,000 cases were investigated and almost 900 were dismissed.
03:20 Who investigated those cases and what were the cases?
03:23 Those cases were administrative.
03:27 Those are different kinds of administrative cases.
03:30 Some of them are service-related,
03:32 those are police operations that were conducted by our police personnel,
03:39 including less grave offenses, grave offenses like irregularity in the performance of duty, grave misconduct, serious neglect of duty.
03:50 These are mixed.
03:52 The Commission on Human Rights said that they are investigating.
03:59 I don't have that data.
04:01 But suffice to say, ma'am Manu, that the PNP is always open to the government agencies to investigate.
04:09 That is our commitment that we will be open and we will cooperate.
04:14 Because the objective is one, that we will not let the police go through the abuse, the lack of police, and that is addressed by the national police.
04:24 Okay.
04:25 Let's go back.
04:26 Recently, you had a drug testing.
04:29 Eight people were positive for using drugs.
04:34 One of them is a police colonel, a chief of the Mandaluyong Police.
04:38 How can you say that drugs are just a problem of users and pushers, but there are also cutlers and users in the police?
04:48 That is also included, ma'am Manu, in what we are doing and the continuous work we are doing in our police force.
04:54 I will correct you ma'am Manu.
04:57 The eight people you are talking about are the eight out of the 25 who were positive for illegal drug use from January to August of this year.
05:07 Unfortunately, one of them is a police colonel, we call him a third level.
05:13 Eight of the police involved in that case were dismissed from the service, while one resigned before the decision against him was released.
05:22 The remaining cases are ongoing, the summary hearing dismissal.
05:28 We are facing this and we are looking for a positive perspective ma'am Manu.
05:34 This is what we see, not only non-commissioned officers, sergeants and patrolmen are going through this process.
05:43 For this year alone, ma'am Malu, we conducted more than 115,000 random and mandatory tests to really assert our objective to clean the ranks of our police force,
05:56 particularly in the use of illegal drugs.
05:59 Colonel Jean, the 115,000 drug testing incidents that you conducted, out of... how many police force are there?
06:07 Is the PNP 150,000 strong or 200,000? What is the total figure?
06:12 We have 228,000 ma'am. The figure that I mentioned, more than 115,000 random drug testing, will continue.
06:24 Not only in what we are doing now, but all year round.
06:28 It's not limited to the NCRPO and there's no exemption from the patrolman up to the chief PNP, who are going through random drug tests.
06:38 Colonel Jean, please explain. When a police officer is under arrest, in conduct, administrative or criminal,
06:47 there are three agencies that are investigating.
06:51 Most of the time, people are dismissed. But what about the due process? What are the penalties that are still being imposed?
06:59 There's NAPOLCO, IAS, Internal Affairs Service, and PLEB.
07:05 Please tell us how the investigation and punishment is being done.
07:10 Aside from the Philippine National Police, we have our own PNP disciplinary machinery.
07:15 You're right, you mentioned NAPOLCO, which exercises operational and administrative control over the PNP.
07:22 They also have authority to conduct an investigation, particularly the admin cases.
07:29 IAS, Internal Affairs Service, also has authority to conduct an investigation and the last one is PLEB.
07:37 IAS is not considered a disciplinary authority.
07:41 Its decisions are only recommendatory and it's being passed.
07:46 At the level of NSUs and national headquarters, the chief PNP is the one who signs the recommendations of the Internal Affairs Service.
07:56 In the regions, the Regional Affairs Service is the regional director.
08:03 In NAPOLCO, if NAPOLCO issued a decision, it's not passed by the PNP and it will be passed by the process.
08:13 If it passed by the hearing dismissal and administrative proceedings, we have a process as part of due process.
08:21 If you were charged and there's a probable result from the pre-charge investigation, you will be given a chance to answer your complaint
08:32 so that you can be judged on the complaint against you.
08:35 If the decision is adverse and you have a penalty, you have the right to submit a motion for reconsideration and you will state your arguments.
08:49 If your motion for reconsideration is denied, you still have the right to appeal.
08:57 If the first unit took 9th and 7th case, your appeal will be submitted to NAPOL as an appellate body.
09:07 If it's denied, it will be submitted to the civil service and to the SILG.
09:13 There's also a case of Moleo, the military and other law enforcement officers.
09:20 What are the cases that were filed and what are the reasons aside from suspension or dismissal that we often hear.
09:29 Are there police who are being jailed?
09:31 We have been jailed, ma'am.
09:34 We have been jailed and recently, previous cases were reported that we have been convicted and eventually jailed.
09:42 You mentioned the military and other law enforcement officers under the Ombudsman.
09:48 The cases filed there are uniformed personnel.
09:52 If they are being arrested, the Ombudsman will take on 9th and 7th cases involving our police officers with salary grade of 27.
10:02 Those are the police colonels.
10:04 If they have a complaint in relation to the performance of duty, their cases can be filed and submitted to the Ombudsman.
10:15 Okay. But Colonel Jean, recently, the cases are not only about the administrative misdemeanor.
10:22 There are two children, 15 years old, Jem Boy and John Francis, who were killed due to mistaken identity.
10:31 There was a road rage incident.
10:33 The former police was collected by his separation pay.
10:37 These cases seem like you were recently arrested.
10:41 It seems like there are different cases, there are mistaken identity cases. Why is that?
10:47 We at the Philippine National Police, we will admit that there are lapses and there is a big lack of police involved in the case of Jem Boy in Lanzarote,
10:57 in Nabotas, in Rodriguez, Rizal and the road rage involving an ex-police officer.
11:04 All of these are being studied and are being addressed by the PNP.
11:12 The police involved have filed cases. In fact, Rodriguez is still in jail.
11:18 The participation of an ex-police officer in an incident in Quezon City, the police have been dismissed for a long time.
11:28 Again, the actions of the PNP, what we want to say is that we are seriously facing this and studying how we can improve and address these incidents involving our police officers.
11:43 For the families and civilians in general, it seems like the police, if there is no such incident, you don't know or you don't report that there are police involved in different cases.
11:58 There is no explanation. It seems like you have done an internal cleansing and now in these incidents, you are fighting back.
12:07 With due respect, ma'am Malu, as we said earlier, the data of the police involved, from time to time, we are publishing that.
12:18 We are open and transparent in our action taking and not in the releases we are publishing.
12:27 That's the nature of our police and we will not hide this. That's the only thing we can assure that all the police involved in this case, we will release the case.
12:39 In fact, we are not just releasing the case, we are also helping them to be prosecuted.
12:44 In the cases of other police involving misdemeanor or even grave misconduct, the witnesses are sometimes the fellow police officers,
12:54 so this is a clear indication that we do not want our police officers to be punished, just like the police involved.
13:06 Okay. To be clear, there are many cases that are being filed against our police. But the crime volume, the report is decreasing in the last quarter.
13:18 But the more cases now are crimes against property, theft, robbery, murder is a bit higher, but crimes against persons are low.
13:30 Why is that? What is your observation? Are Filipinos really suffering and are being held in the clutches?
13:36 We got the other day our crime statistics. From January to September 5 of this year, we recorded around 8.8 percent decrease in our cases,
13:48 including the crimes against property and crimes against persons.
13:53 But our bare months are now entering. We know that in cases like this, there is somehow anticipation that our crimes against property are increasing.
14:04 Probably one of the factors we are considering is our fellow Filipinos are also suffering. They prefer easy money, robbery, theft, and hold-up.
14:16 But these kinds of cases are seriously studied by the PNP. We are identifying our crime clocking. We are mapping crime prone areas where hold-ups,
14:30 theft, and hold-up are occurring so we can adjust our deployment and ensure that our police presence and visibility in identified areas is sustained
14:44 so we can minimize or totally eliminate these kinds of incidents.
14:51 Alright. So there are a lot of jobs but the number of personnel or employees of the Philippine National Police is increasing.
15:00 I said that the Department of Budget and Management, the excess position of the Philippine National Police is worth P26.7 billion every year.
15:10 It seems that your officers have surpassed the approved plantilia or items up to rank and file.
15:18 For example, only three were approved for the lieutenant general, but now there are eight.
15:25 There are additional four up to rank and file. Why is your personnel surpassing? The fund is big and it needs support.
15:37 There is an explanation for this. It's long but suffice to say, I can share with you, that the excess police officers and even the created positions and upgraded positions,
15:52 are in concurrence and approved by the NAPOLCOM, not only the existing commissioners of the NAPOLCOM, but even the previous members of the NAPOLCOM commissioner.
16:03 Just to give you a context, why do we need to add police units? Why do we need to upgrade our table of organization?
16:13 Maybe if you're well aware, five or ten years ago, the cases related to cybercrimes were not addressed because we don't have a dedicated PNP unit that addresses this.
16:30 So in our long study, we need to create a unit, particularly the PNP. For example, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group to address.
16:40 We need to meet the demands of time on why we are creating positions. You mentioned why we added five lieutenant generals, but before, it was only three.
16:52 We added them to the positions that we call area police. If we will limit it to the military, the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
17:02 where they have NOLCOM, SOUTHCOM and WestminCOM units, we will turn to PNP because the jurisdiction of PNP is wider.
17:14 We will have PNP up to barangays and stations. We have police units. We need counterparts, senior officers who can face our counterparts to address the current criminality trends
17:28 and other incidents, especially related to insurgency and related to our disaster response.
17:35 All of these, ma'am, that you mentioned, have explanations. As of yesterday, the PNP is helping to lead the Department of Budget and Management to explain.
17:47 These funds were not lost. They were used appropriately. If there are unfilled vacancies, it's because there are instances that we did not fill up the rank profile because we cannot promote.
18:04 My point is to say ma'am, we want to assure you that we did not lose the money of the government or the country's funds.
18:10 As Colonel Gina said, from the generals to the colonels, the excess is not that bad. But when it comes to the position of the major, 3,700 are there.
18:23 The approved 2,200 are there. 1,500 are the excess. Captain, 5,347 are in the position. Instead of the approved 3,500, 1,800 are the excess.
18:38 Staff surgeon, 46,942 instead of 15,213. Your excess is more than 30,000.
18:48 Corporal, the same, more than 30,000. But why is it increasing? Because if you say there are new duties like the arrest of cybercrime, this is like the police at the ground level.
19:03 Why is it decreasing? Is there an effect that it's increasing? Even the escort service of politicians or appointees of the mayor and governor, it's like there's an excess.
19:14 Almost 1,000 percent of the number of other...
19:19 Like the explanation earlier ma'am, we have yearly recruitment quota. So our strength is increasing. How many population of the Philippines are there now?
19:32 If I will say, we went back to the time when the Philippine National Police, under Republic Act 6975, the population of the Philippines is around 160.
19:45 Our police to population ratio during that time is around 1,000 to 3,000. We were given a BBM of 2015, if I'm not mistaken, of 10,000 that we will recruit.
19:58 Because we are meeting, our percentage of compliance is small. Now we are around 1,700. We are close to meeting. But while the population of our country is increasing,
20:16 we need to pursue recruitment. So what you're saying is based on the increase of the money requirements of PNP, not only to third-level officers,
20:29 but also to our so-called second-level officers, because we recruited them to fill up the vacancy. These vacancies will be filled up once we comply with our money requirements.
20:45 But like I said earlier, we want to assure everyone that all of this is documented and not just one night that PNP thought of all additional personnel, additional positions.
20:59 All of this went through the process and approved by NAPOLCOM.
21:03 Okay. I understand because the population of the Philippines is really big, 110 million. But it seems like it's different that PNP is the only one with excess positions while we are lacking teachers,
21:16 we are lacking health workers and in other agencies, we are really lacking scientists, cybersecurity experts, etc.
21:25 Isn't it sad that the police is able to track the increase of personnel while we are lacking in other sectors that are also important?
21:40 We understand the sentiments of other sectors that are looking at this data because you're right, we are lacking in teachers, we are lacking in nurses and we commensurate with their sectors.
21:54 But on the part of the PNP, if we see excess positions, as I said earlier, there is an explanation for that.
22:02 Once the promotions are continued, not just in the third level, but also in the second level, other positions will be filled up and we can see that there's a lack.
22:13 We noticed that the case in point, we are saying that the top sergeant is lacking in excess. If you look at the next range, there's a big variance and lack.
22:26 We are looking at that. The promotion will be accelerated, the main negative variances will be filled up and this can be explained once the PNP can help.
22:37 As I said earlier, the PNP is working hard and we will make the concerned agencies understand why there are such variances in the table of organization of the PNP.
22:51 So in a simple way, it's like a picture that is being formed. Fat on the top, heavy, fat on the top, in the middle part, it's really a bit too fat, especially thin or thin on the bottom. Is that so? Is it lacking on the bottom?
23:05 It's not lacking, but what I'm explaining, you can see the data that you said, why there's excess in this kind of range.
23:17 Because of our promotions, we comply with minimum qualification standards. If our PNP personnel does not meet those qualification standards, the promotions will be suspended.
23:30 But once they comply, once, like now during election period, we don't have promotions. So what's happening is, the promotion is being suspended, but these vacancies and excess
23:46 will be properly explained in the proper forum. As I said, the PNP leadership is ready to explain this. And I'm surprised to say that the billion worth of money that went to the wrong person,
24:06 we want to categorically state that this fund was not abused because all the salaries that we gave were within the object class that we obtained.
24:20 All right. It's clear that personal services are directly to the person. What about the payment? Unless those employees are the numbers that were taken by the Department of Budget and Management.
24:31 That's right ma'am. That's why I said that the excess amount of money that was taken were personal services. It was also used in the same object class.
24:44 There's no realignment of funds here. It was also used within the object class.
24:50 All right. Now let's go to the secret fund, intelligence and confidential funds. In the 2024 budget proposal, the combined confidential and intelligence funds that are requested will reach P6 billion.
25:04 But the biggest bull is that in the office of the President, it reached P2 billion. In the office of the Vice President, it reached P650 million, OVP and DepEd.
25:13 How much will the PNP get?
25:15 As of now ma'am, I don't have the exact figures on the intelligence funds that we are requesting. But in total, our proposed budget is more than P195 billion,
25:28 which is P2.4 billion higher than the 2023 budget. So definitely, the intelligence funds and confidential funds are included in our proposed budget.
25:40 But I don't have the exact figure right now.
25:43 What's unclear to the people is that DepEd asked for confidential and intelligence funds to support recruitment in 16 schools in Metro Manila,
25:54 which is not named, but which are being recruited by NPAs. This is elementary to high school. Senior high is the scope of DepEd work.
26:03 Can't the police handle that? Do DepEd need to have its own confidential and intelligence fund?
26:10 With due respect, ma'am Manu, I'm not in the position to really explain and I don't have the power to explain the budget proposed by other government agencies,
26:21 particularly in the office of our dear Vice President. On the part of the PNP, as I said, we are under the control of other government agencies,
26:31 both the civilian and uniformed services to make sure that our confidential funds are being used properly.
26:40 What we are doing is monitoring possible recruitment of our youth. This is included in our continuous monitoring.
26:50 We are looking at this seriously and the PNP is working with or without this. If our proposed budget is approved, if not, just the same,
27:01 we will maximize whatever funds will be allocated to the Philippine National Police.
27:06 It was mentioned but I don't have the exact name, 16 high schools in Metro Manila that have recruitment activities by NPAs.
27:16 These are the youth aged 12 to 18, let's say 14 to 18.
27:22 But what is clear is that the teachers said that they should not be the first to ask for help.
27:32 And if we look at it, just now there was a big request for confidential and intelligence fund, DepEd,
27:40 but it seems like the PNP is lacking in this. Did you monitor these 16 high schools that have recruitment?
27:49 Can't the teachers and principals be the first responders in these cases?
27:55 Again, like I said earlier, ma'am, I really cannot speak on behalf of the Department of Education.
28:00 But on the part of the PNP, what we can share ma'am is our monitoring of other schools and we want to at least align with what the Department of Education is saying
28:13 that there are some that are monitoring and attempting to recruit our youth to join the recruiting groups.
28:21 Our AFP is doing the same. They have their own efforts. You're right when you mentioned that our teachers should be the first responders.
28:29 We have coordination with school administrators and our relationship with school management is good.
28:37 That's why they are the ones providing us with information if they notice possible attempts to recruit.
28:46 This is a big job and we need to monitor this because we don't want our youth, as early as elementary, to lose their knowledge and be influenced by wrong policies of the government.
29:05 We want to educate them in the right way. That's why we are providing them with good education.
29:10 We are orienting them, not only in avoiding illegal drugs, we are advising them on how to avoid possible recruitment of other groups.
29:22 That will continue and we are happy that the Department of Education already takes cognizance of this continuing problem.
29:31 The PNP, even the Armed Forces of the Philippines will closely coordinate with the Department of Education on this matter.
29:39 But ma'am, isn't it redundant or like a double-double?
29:43 Because I read that the NTF-LCAP is with other departments that are coordinating.
29:50 Why would the DepEd have a separate fund?
29:53 Isn't the DepEd a partnership? The other departments in the NTF-LCAP are also like that.
29:58 Who is really supporting the communists? The NTF-LCAP and the separate agencies?
30:04 It's like redundant.
30:07 It's not redundant. With your respect, Malu, the National Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict was created purposely to end insurgency,
30:17 the more than 50 years of insurgency problem in our country.
30:21 The so-called whole of nation approach, the uniform service of the PNP, AFP and even NBI cannot address and end this insurgency in our country.
30:33 It's a big thing that the National Task Force is there because we have already achieved a lot in our objective to end this conflict.
30:44 Many have turned to our government.
30:47 The programs of the national government that we have already implemented in the barangays,
30:53 so they can feel that the government is seriously advancing in the solutions of our countrymen.
31:00 The PNP will be focusing on the enforcement side, but in the case of Department of Education, Department of Social and Welfare Development,
31:10 they have their own mandate on how to implement their objectives of the agencies.
31:17 What's important here is that we can see that the agencies of our government are helping each other to end this insurgency in our country.
31:27 I have a question on the topic of pension fund, military and uniformed personnel pension fund.
31:34 What is the feeling and opinion of our police when they said that they will contribute to your pension fund?
31:50 Well we have to admit, ma'am Malu, at the first instance, our police are apprehensive because for the longest time,
32:01 our police have not contributed to our retirement funds, not only on the part of the PNP, but also to the military.
32:11 That's why there was a consultation from the national headquarters, regional, provincial and even the lowest level to explain to them.
32:21 Our financial advisors mentioned that the time will come when a large portion of our funds will be given to the retirement funds.
32:35 So far, we are thankful to our advisors that they listened to our suggestions and hopefully, there will be a compromise of middle ground
32:48 so that we can continue to achieve the objective of our national government and at the same time,
32:54 address the concerns of our uniformed personnel.
32:58 Did you submit a proposal or formula on how much contribution you can achieve, for example by phases?
33:06 Is there such a thing? Because that's what we're talking about now.
33:09 What can our police do to contribute and reduce the financial burden that the government is imposing on your retirement benefits?
33:21 The proposal is mandatory, 5 percent mandatory contribution for the first three years and then it will be increased by 7 percent.
33:31 For active, eventually it will be 9 percent. But for new entrants, automatically it will be 9 percent.
33:40 So we are looking at this from a positive perspective that the objective of the national government is to reduce the financial burden of the national government.
33:54 The PNP is open. When we explained this to our police, they understood.
34:02 We are waiting for the final version of this adjustment to our NUP pension scheme.
34:09 Hopefully, we are thankful to our advisors that they considered the contents of our uniformed personnel.
34:18 In fact, there are some lawmakers that are looking for ways on how to help our uniformed personnel on this matter.
34:31 Let's be clear Colonel Gino. 5 percent gross pay over all compensation or net pay, net of taxes. What is that? 5 percent of how much actually?
34:43 5 percent of our net pay, our base pay, will be reduced by 5 percent.
34:52 If you look at it, it's a bit heavy for a police, especially if you have a family.
34:58 There is apprehension but we need to explain to them that the time will come when we will need to contribute in order to not affect our future.
35:13 The ongoing deliberation on this matter is still ongoing. We are waiting for the final approval of our lawmakers.
35:23 Please explain Colonel Gino in real terms. The 5 percent of the entry level salary net of a police, how much is the equivalent in real pesos?
35:34 Like, let's start with a patrolman. The net base pay of a patrolman is around 30,000. If you take 5 percent of that, it's 1,500.
35:49 If 10 percent of 30,000 is 3,000, so you will only get 5 percent. So 1,500 will be deducted from him.
35:59 That's what will happen. For the first three years, he will need to contribute 5 percent mandatorily and the remaining will be shouldered by the national government.
36:10 As time goes by, the objective is to reduce the salary of the uniformed personnel by 9 percent.
36:20 But the new police, you said it's automatic 9 percent. It means if they can get 30,000 base pay, their pension contribution will be 2,700. Is that right?
36:36 That's right ma'am. That's part of the proposal. The new police will automatically deduct 9 percent from them as mandatory contribution. That is part of the proposal.
36:48 Okay. But isn't it that you are a bit stingy with the recruits? It's like they are just starting out and their salary is still low.
36:57 They are still new in the service. How will you raise them? Maybe only a few will apply.
37:04 Well to be honest with you ma'am, we cannot reduce the number of our employees who want to join the PNP.
37:13 In our recruitment quota, we normally get 1,000, but our applicants sometimes reach more than 10 to 15,000.
37:22 So now we will test if this can be implemented, that they can get mandatory contribution.
37:28 The real heart and mind is for the public service. Our salary will be secondary, although life is hard. We know that before they join, they will be informed that they will get mandatory employment.
37:44 In spite of that, if they are willing and want to join the service, we will welcome that. We have to commend for those who know that their salary will be lower compared to before.
37:57 They will take home pay to be exact. They chose to join and they fully believe that they want to serve our country.
38:07 But those who are not in active service, it seems like they are a big community, those who are retired.
38:15 The reason for your pension scheme is if you are a retired patrolman, PO1, if you are retired, your rank is PO2 and your current salary rate is equivalent pay.
38:28 Yes ma'am. That's what we call it. But those who are retired are not affected by the proposed adjustments to our pension.
38:40 That's one of the things we are looking at, the proposal of our financial advisors to cut the so-called indexation, to cut the one-rank salary privileges.
38:58 All of those are being studied and hopefully, we could come up with a better and acceptable version of their proposals.
39:07 So if you are a police officer, for example, you are a middle level or senior grade, you can opt for an optional retirement so you won't have to pay the new policy on the pension plan, right?
39:19 Even prior to the discussion on our adjustments, there are laws that once you acquire at least 20 years in the service, you can apply for an optional retirement.
39:35 They have the option if they think that they cannot reach the adjustment, we cannot stop them from doing early retirement.
39:44 But again, as I said earlier, we are looking at and we believe in the wisdom of our lawmakers and our president on how to really address the so-called needed adjustment in our MUP.
39:59 Do you have an idea of how many of our 228,000 PNP personnel whose service is up to 20 years and can opt for an optional retirement?
40:10 It seems like they will manage the net loss because you will pay the retirement benefit.
40:17 I don't have the figures right now ma'am. But what I can recall ma'am is we asked the director of PNP Retirement and Administration Service that as of July,
40:32 there are around 1,700 plus who availed for an optional retirement.
40:39 But this is not drastic because according to the director, for the past five years, it's still within the average number of people who availed for an optional retirement.
40:50 We are not looking at a sudden increase in the figure. But we will see if there will be a final version and if it is passed, we will see if there will be an upsurge of those who will apply for an optional retirement.
41:07 We have a quick question. How can we catch Congressman Tevez and his other at-large, who are called terrorists?
41:18 Well, the PNP for now, ma'am Lu, has created a dedicated tracker team to conduct manhunt operations.
41:28 Not only for Congressman Tevez, but also for his four co-accused in this case.
41:34 Although in Congressman Tevez's case, we are confronting a challenge because he is outside the jurisdiction of the Philippine government.
41:44 We are reporting that he's not a man of high status.
41:49 Before the warrants of arrest related to the cases of the murders of Governor Digamo and others,
41:57 the Philippine National Police and International Police or Interpol have close coordination.
42:04 Although Congressman Tevez's case, not only the PNP will be the one to address this.
42:10 We are looking at other government agencies, Department of Justice, Department of Foreign Affairs.
42:16 What we see there, since it involves other nations, we really need to have a pass through the diplomatic channel.
42:25 The PNP or any assistance that we need to give to other government agencies so that this warrant can be served, the Philippine National Police is ready.
42:36 Now on the issue of barangay and youth elections, what is the outlook in the eyes of the PNP?
42:46 Are there many hot spots, potential and real?
42:49 Continuing ma'am, the risk and threat assessment that we are doing while the election is coming, we are looking at risk factors.
43:00 One of which is the potential private armed groups that can be used and influence the elections, particularly in the areas that we are looking at,
43:10 that will be included in the so-called red category or areas of grave concern.
43:16 What we are looking at is the previous history of those areas that were in trouble.
43:22 We have already identified areas that we are recommending to be included in the category yellow, category orange and category red.
43:34 The COMELEC has a final decision on which areas will be included in these categories, especially the red category where the COMELEC can declare that a place is under COMELEC control based on our recommended risk and threat assessment.
43:55 Okay. In other words, if the police is called to have additional duties, you are not neglecting it.
44:05 Now, rice or overpricing because it does not follow the price control.
44:10 Yesterday, DILG Secretary Abalos and some policemen went around the markets.
44:16 But what is the feeling of the police here? Should they arrest these traders who will be at a loss if they follow the price control or if they don't follow the rules,
44:28 if that's how the business is, they will not close. How is that? Will you really arrest them?
44:33 Well, the EO39 that was issued pertaining to the price ceiling for regular meal drives, again, we respect the rules that our national government is issuing.
44:48 On the part of the PNP, our function in enforcing the EO39 is we will render and provide necessary assistance to the agencies of the growing government,
44:59 like the Department of Agriculture, DPI, if they will conduct their visitorial inspection. The PNP is ready to provide.
45:10 Now, it's not only the retailers that we are targeting, but also the smugglers and hoarders. Somehow, this is affecting the increase of our purchases, especially our basic goods.
45:26 So for now, we monitored our SILG, it went around, but nothing happened yet because accordingly, our other retailers do not know that there is an ineffective price ceiling.
45:41 We are helping the efforts of DPI and DA to disseminate and inform them that there is an existing price ceiling for rice.
45:51 After that, we will have a request coming from the implementing agencies to help the PNP.
46:00 Okay. But the consumers are not thinking that they are buying rice, you, me, all of us, it's like a simple sum.
46:10 How can you enforce the price control if you bought something more expensive and you will be arrested because you want to protect your business?
46:19 In a simple way, we can say that there is an executive order to enforce the price control, but it's unreasonable or unrealistic.
46:29 How can that be? Should they be arrested? It's like there are many other crimes, big corruption.
46:34 That's what our citizens are saying on social media. Why would they arrest a poor retailer or rice trader because they are not following the rules?
46:45 Again, with due respect ma'am, we understand the sentiments of our countrymen who are selling, particularly at the retailers level.
46:55 When the EO39 was issued, we are pretty sure that before our President approved it, our implementing agencies studied the effects and consequences of it.
47:12 After the EO39 was issued, we want to assure everyone that it was studied by the implementing agencies. The question is, will there be a punishment?
47:24 We will cross the bridge when we get there ma'am Malu. As we said, the PNP is ready to provide necessary assistance to the implementing agencies because they have the power
47:36 to exercise their visitorial inspection power. But again, as we said, we are reading and hearing that the national government is appealing to our local government units,
47:50 which are being run by the government to help our small buyers and sellers to temper the effect of the imposition of price ceiling.
48:03 It's like you're being put in a cage because you understand that it's hard to implement.
48:08 In fact, there is a fair business practice that you sell a reasonable amount of rice if you can buy it.
48:16 Suddenly, there's a price control. How can you implement it and get caught?
48:21 The cost of input of our retailers is really different.
48:28 Yes ma'am. As we understand, our ordinary sellers of rice, you mentioned that they bought it at this price, but they have to lower the price because there's a price ceiling.
48:46 But we want to make it clear, as I said, before this decision was issued about the EO39, I'm pretty sure it was studied by the national government.
48:58 That's why we are appealing to their understanding. But on the part of the PNP, you can expect that the PNP will not move without the concurrence and approval of the implementing agencies of our government.
49:11 Yes, it seems like the problem is the supply, not the price. That's why it's like the retailers and traders are more likely to hide their rice because it's clear that they are losing or losing when we get the price ceiling when selling.
49:32 Anyway, Colonel Jean Fajardo, it's always a pleasure to speak with you.
49:37 Do you see any possible crisis or problems that will happen during Christmas?
49:46 Well, this bear month, our bear month started. As we said, when the bear month starts, our anticipation, as you mentioned earlier, our crimes against persons, we are anticipating that it will increase.
50:01 This early, we are identifying our crime prone areas. We are adding our deployment, particularly to areas where we are reporting incidents like this.
50:15 We want to sustain our police presence and visibility. We are very thankful to our force multipliers.
50:25 We are seeing that we are reporting continuous decrease in incidents. This is not a claim of the PNP that this is our recognition.
50:34 A big part of this is the support of local government units, our force multipliers and of course, our ordinary citizens because they are aware of how to avoid being victims of incidents.
50:48 That's what we are always talking about. If you are a witness and you are monitoring, let's include them if they are seeing and monitoring the wrongdoings of the police.
50:58 Report it to us and we can tell you that we will speed up the address and action to ensure that the trusted police will be removed from our hands quickly.
51:10 How will you remove the fear that they might be targeted or they will be chased by the police?
51:18 Their confidentiality and their identification, we make sure that we are taking care of that.
51:27 If you can contact us and you have evidence that you can be identified in your area, you can report not only to the station where you live,
51:40 but you can also report to the higher-ups of the police station, provincial headquarters, regional headquarters. Even to us, we will treat with utmost confidentiality the information you are giving.
51:57 We will make sure that we will validate this and once we have evidence, you can assure that we will not tolerate this.
52:07 We believe that if a police officer commits a crime, he should not be considered a police officer because he is a criminal.
52:16 The fact that he did it using particular, if he is still in the performance of his duty, our treatment should be different.
52:25 Yes, we treat them as new, but it does not prohibit us from prosecuting them also.
52:31 Okay. So the trusted police should be protected by the trusted police. Is that what you're saying? And don't be afraid.
52:38 That's right ma'am. As I said, admittedly, there are lapses and shortcomings, but this is not the culture of the whole institution.
52:47 We embrace these mistakes because this will give us a chance to improve our processes and procedures.
52:54 But at the same time, we want to explain that this is not the norms and culture of the Philippine National Police.
53:01 We have many police officers who are honest and true to their service.
53:05 Those who are honest and true to their service can assure our citizens that we will do the right thing so we can be fair to the trust and confidence of our Filipinos.
53:19 I think we all want that to happen. I hope there won't be an incident that will undermine the trust of our police.
53:29 These recent incidents, even if they are small, as you said, they are not representative, but they are really a lot and a lot of incidents.
53:41 I said it before, if our citizens are hurt and angry about these incidents, we are also in the police force and we are hurt and angry.
53:51 We don't want this to affect the minds of our countrymen.
53:56 So recently, these incidents, no less than the leadership of the PNP from the chief PNP to the two deputy chief PNP and to our fourth highest leader of the country,
54:10 they are the ones who go around the stations, regions and provinces to talk to our police and field commanders to warn them to do the right thing.
54:23 We will not be left behind. We have a police operational procedure. That's their only goal. They will not go wrong in their actions.
54:32 That's another thing we are looking at, the doctrine of human responsibility. The PNP is studying how far we can exact human responsibility because the commanders,
54:46 the supervisors, they should know what their subordinates are doing. They cannot give a flimsy excuse that they don't know what their people are doing.
54:58 They should know. So not only the police involved in our discipline, but also their immediate commanders.
55:06 Maybe in the minds of the people, where is General Torrey, the one who is doing the press conference? Where is the Colonel of Mandaluyong who was arrested for drug use?
55:17 And also Mr. Gonzales who was arrested. What is the situation? What will happen to them? Do you know if the investigation of their actions will end?
55:29 In the case of Mr. Gonzales, we have already filed an alarm and scandal case because of his possession of a gun. We saw it all in the video.
55:45 In the case of Colonel Herente, who was possessed for illegal drugs, his pre-charge investigation is already underway because the confirmatory test was released,
55:57 the same urine sample that he submitted was positive. I know that he has one day left in his 15 days if he will challenge this result.
56:08 If there's no challenge, he will continue to file a case for conduct and becoming of a police officer that will merit dismissal from the PNP service.
56:18 On the part of General Torrey, he resigned from his position and resigned to give way to an impartial investigation.
56:27 If the PNP sees that there's a mistake, lapses on his part, the PNP will not be silent and impose the punishment against the alleged officer.
56:38 To the parents and family of Jemboy and John Francis, the children were killed because of mistaken identity. What is the outlook? When will the investigation of the cases end?
56:50 First of all, we are reaching our friendship and sympathy to the families of the alleged children. The case of Jemboy, the prosecutor's case was already filed.
57:03 The supplemental evidence was submitted that can provide guidance to our prosecutors on what case to file. If the first case that was filed was reckless intrudence resulting in homicide,
57:18 the murder can be acquitted. The ball is now in the prosecutor's office. The police are running the summary hearing proceedings and hopefully, within the period of 60 days,
57:33 the case will be resolved by the police. In other cases, particularly the case of Rodriguez Rizal, the case was filed against the police and until now, the police is in jail.
57:46 That's our assurance. All of these cases are being assisted by the PNP so that the families of the alleged children can use justice for their loved ones.
57:58 All right. On that note, you gave us a little hope that there are still police officers. There are many of them that we can trust.
58:07 We cannot trust the police. Thank you very much Colonel Jean Fajardo, the first female spokesperson of the PNP and a lawyer. Good day Colonel Jean.
58:20 Good day Mamado and thank you very much.
58:23 [Music]