Naga City (November 14) - City officials here urged for the creation of a local police force under the supervision of the mayor to serve as augmentation force in maintaining peace and order in the locality.
While attending the senate hearing on peace and order crisis involving the City, City Mayor Jesse Robredo said that this idea presented itself as an alternative solution to similar problems that any locality will confront.
“Dapat matawan an mga local na hepe ehekutibo nin poder na makakrear nin sadiring police force tanganing alternatibo kung igwa nin problema sa laog kan organisasyon kan pulis,” Robredo said.
He confirmed that congress should legislate a bill granting local executives power to create a police force in the locality for the purpose of maintaining peace and order and similar police works under the supervision of the local executives.
Robredo said that the draft of a bill will be sent to Senator Benigno Aquino III who wants to sponsor the bill at the Senate.
“I should solicit the support of League of Cities to endorse this move once it is submitted to the Senate by Noynoy for its early passage,” Robredo added.
Under local executive’s supervision, police forces will be effective since the local executives such as mayors and governors will oversee its operation and will have direct knowledge of the group, Robredo explained.
Robredo said that the crisis in peace and order in Naga City would serve as an eye opener to congress to grant local executives power to create their own police forces.
With this, Robredo said, the mayors and the governors would have effective campaigns against criminality even without the support of any police organization.
Meanwhile, a ranking official of the PNP Provincial Command conveyed a different opinion about the creation of force under the direct supervision of local executives.
According to Police Superintendent Cerilo Trilles spokesman of Camarines Sur PNP, this move will not bring solution to problem in peace and order, but instead would create another problem.
Trilles pointed out that his move would create another problem since local police forces controlled by local executives can be used as private armed groups by mayors and governors.
“Kaya ngani hinali sa mga local na opisyal an poder sa pagbugtak nin mga pulis tanganing dae gamiton an mga ini sa pang aabuso asin sa krimen arog kan nangyari kaidto kan nasa lindong pa an pulis kan mga alkalde,” Trilles explained.