NON-NECESSITY OF THE PROPOSAL

On the proposition that all trainings of the PNP be removed from the
Philippine Public Safety College, we on the negative side strongly disagrees!

Trainings is one of the ways to achieve professionalism. The trainings of the

police are specialized in nature since they are not limited to mere
militaristics it includes the study of law, forensic science, law enforcement,
interpersonal relations and report writing. Presently, the set- up of the
training is delivered by the Philippine Public Safety College in consultation
with the PNP, BFP and BJMP as they are the Board of Trustees of PPSC.
Moreover, the training of the police recruits are checked by the PNP on a
periodic basis where they ensure that the training needs meet the
expectations of the PNP. Note that the PPSC and PNP are co- equal agencies
of the DILG created by Republic Act Number 6975.
Section 66 of RA 6975 states, Creation of the Philippine Public Safety
College. – There is hereby created the Philippine Public Safety College
(PPSC), which shall be the premier educational institution for the training,
human resource development and continuing education of all personnel of
the PNP, Fire and Jail Bureaus.

Section 67 of RA 6975 states, Composition, Powers and Functions. – The

College shall consist of the present Philippine National Police Academy
(PNPA), the Fire Service Training Center, the Philippine National Training
Center (PNTC), the National Police College, and other special training centers
as may be created by the Department, whose functions shall be as follows:
(a) Formulate and implement training programs for the personnel of
the Department;
The simple question in this debate is this: Is there enough proof that the
PPSC has abdicated its functions and have produced inefficient, corrupt and
inept police officers? In other words, is the PPSC to be blamed for the
misgivings of the PNP?

Our answer lies in the negative. We believe that the PPSC cannot be blamed
for the problems to which the PNP now is embroiled. We also insist that the
PNP cannot remove itself from the PPSC as the idea of transferring ALL
trainings of the PNP is absurd, regressive and costly. I will be arguing the
non- necessity of the policy.

Argument 1: THE TRAINING SCHOOL OR INSTITUTION IS NOT TO BE

BLAMED FOR THE MISGIVINGS OF THE POLICE; THE SCHOOL
SHOULD NOT BE BLAMED FOR THE CORRUPT ACTS OF THE POLICE.
Formal police training was created in 1908 by August Vollmer in Berkeley,
California. J. Edgar Hoover continued the trend of police professionalization
in 1935 when he created the FBI National Academy to employ additional
training for local law enforcement officers. Hence, the present set- up of
police training in the country is based on researches made by August
Vollmer and O.W. Wilson, both of whom are authorities in police
professionalism. In fact, police professionalism encourages external training
resources. It is very clear therefore that the practice of engaging the
services of a separate unit to train police officers is an old practice
established in the West. And it has been effective in the last decade; as
evidence, the same system is used by United States where they established
the FBI Training Academy, Police Academies in every US county, the United
Kingdom they have the Metropolitan Police Academy. In other countries such
as Norway, Greenland, Finland, and Switzerland, the trainings they provide
to the police is made by a separate unit which is independent of the police
similar to the system used by the PNP. Did these countries blame the
training agencies for the corruption and scandals committed by their rookie
cops? Your guess is as good as mine. The problem with the PNP is that they
blame the PPSC for their problems rooted in systemic corruption and culture
of indifference in the PNP.

A person’s basic, college education or police training is just one of the many
aspects of his life. That is why I do not think it is fair to blame a person’s
corrupt ways exclusively on his alma mater(s). Many factors help shape a
person’s identity—his very upbringing, the values passed on to him by his
parents, his various influences and life experiences, the society in which he
lives, his spirituality, etc. Hence, I find the statement that the PPSC is to be
blamed for the corruption as a reckless and imprudent assertion. The school
or training center contact with the rookie cops is only 6 months, hence the
problem cannot be attributed to PPSC. In fact, the training of NPTI for police
officer the longest last for six months and then the police officers are turned
over the PNP to practice what they have learned. Just like a chemist who
learned how mix chemicals in making explosives, it is up to him how he will
use that knowledge. If we can blame the schools for the corruption
committed by their graduates, at the end all schools should be closed.

Argument 2. THE PROBLEM IS NOT WITH THE TRAINING BUT WITH

THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS MADE BY THE PNP
WITH ITS RECRUITS.
Sen. Lacson author of the bill to transfer, cited a 2004 PNP Reform
Commission Report showing the quality of training conducted by the NPTI
has deteriorated over the years. The studies cited by Lacson are written 13
years ago, hence the same may not be used for any rational reason. No
researcher cites studies made 10 years ago as they are no longer credible
due to changing times.

In a recent study by the United Nations Development Program and United

Nations Office of Crimes and Drugs in 2015, 2016 and 2017 identify that the
corruption and ineptitude among many of our policemen start from their
recruitment. The recruitment reeks of patronage, and many of those who
have no patrons must buy their way into the PNP, or resort to other illegal
means like faking conversion to Islam to be entitled to the Moro’s privilege in
the NAPOLCOM eligibility examination.

At the very stage of recruitment, therefore, we get people who are less fit to
become policemen and, worse, may even have mental and psychological
problems, and from the very time that they entered the service, many of our
cops already learned to resort to patronage, bribery and fraud.

Police recruits must undergo psychological test, background checks, lifestyle

checks and interview to determine their fitness to join the police. Staffing is
the problem not the training. No matter how good the training of the PPSC
is, if the seleted police officers are inherently inferior in intelligence, moral
fiber and physical fitness, PPSC cannot do much. In six months, integrity,
loyalty, delicadeza, ethics and other moral virtues cannot be imparted in
manner that it is carried forever by the person. This is on top of the physical
training and academic classes.

Argument 3. The mismatch of training needs and expectations of the PNP is

the fault of PPSC is downright wrong and self- serving.
Sen. Lacson the author of the measure where the trainings of the PNP be
removed from the PPSC said "The simple truth is that there is an evident
mismatch between the PNP's training expectations and requirements to the
actual services provided by the PPSC. This statement is an apologist
comment and blame worthy one. The PPSC is not alone run by retired police
officers and civilians, active police officers serve as directors of the police
training institute. This is consistent in every region as the head of the police
training center is an active police officer. More so, the Board of Trustees of
the PPSC are composed of the Chiefs of the tri- bureau: jail, fire and police
agencies. The PNP therefore has a direct hand on the trainings to be given to
the police recruits. The set- up of the PPSC allows the PNP to control and
dictate the training objectives they seek to have. The PNP Chief can easily
command the PPSC to improve or change its trainings on the following
grounds: (1) he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the PPSC which
approves budget, administration, curriculum and even the training
programs; (2) the PPSC regional training directors are police officers and
their head is the Chief, PNP hence, they report to him and the former can
demand them to report the problems with police training; (3) the PPSC
coordinates with the PNP before the conduct of the training as they have
consultations with leadership of the PNP. They also conduct periodic
consultations from time to time to update the training needs of the PNP.

With the above reasons, there is no iota of doubt that the proposal of the
affirmative side should crumble.

Thank you!

INTERPELLATION- NON NECESSITY

1. Do you know how many police officers are there in the PNP?
2. There are 190, 000 police officers and there are 150, 000 PO1 from
these number. Hence, if there will be wrongdoings it is logical to say
 that the PO1 can commit most since they have the most number
correct? So does these mean that the commissioned officers are not
involved in corruption.
3. Is there a training school that teaches corruption? Say does the PDEA
Academy teach planting of evidence? Does the NBI Academy teach
killing suspected drug suspects? Do criminology schools teach their
graduates corruption? So, is it fair to blame the school for the life
choices made by a RATIONAL person?
4. Do you agree with me that it is normal that corruption will surface
since the PNP is conducting an internal cleansing? The data of may
crooked PO1 may not necessarily reflect that all PO1 are corrupt, is it
not?
5. Do you agree with me that the basis of the bill of Lacson is a research
made in 2005 written 13 years ago? Do you think the same is still
applicable today despite 13 years? Are researches written decades ago
be considered for policy making?