MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership has directed key offices to craft measures and determine liabilities arising from incidents that hinder law enforcement personnel in the lawful execution of their duties.
PNP Chief, Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., instructed the Directorate for Operations, Legal Service, and Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) to strengthen guidance for police units on dealing with outside intervention during legitimate operations.
“Our police officers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect while performing their lawful duties. If there are concerns about their conduct or appearance, there are proper channels to address them,” Nartatez said in a statement on Wednesday.
“No one should take it upon themselves to publicly humiliate or interfere with our personnel in the performance of their duties. We will protect our officers from unwarranted interference while ensuring that any legitimate complaint against them is properly investigated,” he added.
Nartatez instructed field commanders to remind personnel that accountability within the police force must be pursued through established procedures.
He stressed that protecting police personnel from improper intervention would not mean shielding them from legitimate complaints, stressing that any allegation against police officers must still be examined through the proper process.
“We welcome legitimate criticism because accountability makes the PNP stronger but accountability must never be confused with intimidation or interference. If you see something wrong, report it to us and we will act on it,” Nartatez said
