Dela Rosa backs adoption of military rank classification for police

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa on Sunday expressed support for the proposed measure to adopt the military rank classification for uniformed police personnel.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Dela Rosa said he supports House Bill 5236, which has already been approved on second reading at the House of Representatives.

The bill seeks to amend Section 28 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, and that for purposes of clarity of command and responsibility, the rank classification of PNP uniformed personnel would be:

• Director General - Police General
• Deputy Director General - Police Lieutenant General
• Director - Police Major General
• Chief Superintendent - Police Brigadier General
• Senior Superintendent - Police Colonel
• Superintendent - Police Lieutenant Colonel
• Chief Inspector - Police Major
• Senior Inspector - Police Captain
• Inspector - Police Lieutenant
• Senior Police Officer IV - Police Master Sergeant
• Senior Police Officer III - Police Technical Sergeant
• Senior Police Officer II - Police Staff Sergeant
• Senior Police Officer I - Police Sergeant
• Police Officer III - Police Corporal
• Police Officer II - Patrolman First Class
• Police Officer - Patrolman

Dela Rosa said the PNP had lobbied Congress to propose the bill.

"After how many years ng existence ng PNP, since 1992 hanggang ngayon, confused pa rin ang karamihan ng ating mamamayan about sa pagtawag sa mga official natin," he said.

"Kahit si Presidente natin, sabi niya, matagal na siyang nakipag-deal sa PNP kasi matagal na siyang mayor, pero hanggang ngayon gulung-gulo ang isip niya about sa ranggo. Sabi niya, i-panukala ninyo ang batas na yan, sana maibalik," he added.

The PNP chief, however, clarified that the modifying police rank classification to that of the military will not affect their civilian character.

"Hindi naman yun nawawala, pangalan lang naman yan. Terminology lang naman ang nagbago, pero yung civilian in character, ganun pa rin." 

"Noon pa, sa panahon ng Integrated National Police, yun naman talaga ang ranggo na ginagamit namin. Pero mga civilian naman talaga yung Integrated National Police noon. Wala akong nakikitang pagbabago sa pag-uugali," he added.

For his part, Antipolo City Representative Romeo Acop, principal author of the measure, said the reason behind the proposal was to address public confusion as to the current rank of PNP officers which uses the terms "superintendent" and "inspector" which were borrowed from Western and European jurisdictions.

“Despite the usage of such terms for the last 20 years, the public seems to have been more accustomed to the use of rank classification using military terminologies such as ‘general’, ‘colonel’, or ‘sergeant’ as previously used in the police force,” he said.

The adoption of the military rank classification for their police counterparts would also promote understanding among members of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Acop added. —LBG, GMA News