PNP internal affairs office unaware it could investigate Purisima

The office tasked to investigate Philippine National Police personnel was unaware that it could can probe the PNP chief.

 

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Senator Grace Poe asked if the PNP Internal Affairs Office had jurisdiction over Purisima, to which Director Alexander Roldan said it had “none.”

 

Senator Sergio Osmena III said he believed that the PNP IAS could investigate all the members of the PNP.

 

But Roldan said they could only do so if there was a clearance from the President.

 

“Under (Republic Act) 8551, we need a clearance from the President to conduct an investigation (on the PNP chief),” he said. It is under RA 8551 that IAS was created.

 

Poe said that former Paranaque Rep Roilo Golez, who authored the law, said that the PNP chief was not exempted from the IAS probe.

 

Under the law, IAS should “submit a periodic  report on the assessment, analysis, and evaluation of the character and behaviour of the PNP personnel and units to the chief PNP and the (National Police) Commission.”

 

Roldan said Purisima had been very supportive of the recommendations submitted to him by IAS.

 

The law also states that it is the PNP chief who recommends to the President the Inspector General who will head IAS.

 

Poe believed that the PNP chief should also be removed as a member of the National Police Commission.

 

Napolcom Executive Officer Eduardo Escueta said the membership of the PNP chief in the organization is by law.

 

“This is what we should study. Maybe these are one of the provisions we will have in the amendments,” Poe said. —NB, GMA News