More guns for PNP will bring an end to 'pulis patola' jokes, says Aquino

The delivery of nearly 40,000 more pistols for the Philippine National Police (PNP) should put an end to the "pulis patola" jokes told about the country's police force, President Aquino said in a speech on Tuesday.

"Ngayong napipinto na nating makamit ang one-to-one police-to-pistol ratio bago matapos ang taon, mabubura na sa bokabularyo ng Pilipino ang terminong 'pulis patola,'" Aquino said at the 112th anniversary of the PNP's Police Service.

Aquino said that to achieve the ideal police-pistol ratio, the PNP has procured a total of 74,879 units of Glock 17 9mm pistols—and 35,578 of these have already been delivered.

"Bulto-bulto pang ihahatid ang natitirang baril sa mga darating na buwan, hanggang sa maisara na natin ang ating kakulangan sa larangang ito," Aquino said.

This is part of government's efforts to upgrade the PNP, for which P9 billion in modernization funds have been allocated.

Some of the funds would go to the hiring of at least 30,000 non-uniformed personnel in the next two years to replace the one-fifth of the PNP's 146,085 officers assigned to administrative work, Aquino said.

"Ang resulta: Bukod sa malilikhang bagong trabaho, ay mas maraming pulis na imbes na humarap lamang sa kompyuter o lamesa, ay haharap nang muli sa tao at tatanod sa kalsada," Aquino said, adding that they aim for a 1 is to 500 field personnel-to-population ratio.

Aquino urged the police to unite in the efforts to upgrade the PNP.

"Tuldukan na natin ang kalakaran ng pagkakanya-kanya. Panahon na ng pakikilahok upang iangat ang isa’t isa," Aquino said.

Earlier, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said that the P9 billion modernization fund does not cover the purchase of helicopters for the PNP.

PNP Director General Alan Purisima had requested that the purchase of two attack helicopters be included in the modernization funds, with the helicopters to be used mainly for anti-insurgency operations, disaster response and anti-crime campaigns in Metro Manila and other urban areas.

Meanwhile, the government has also approved a separate P2.08-billion fund for the purchase of 2,500 units of patrol vehicles for the PNP following a competitive bidding. — BM, GMA News