Abalos: No more ‘quota system’ in PNP

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Monday said the "quota system" for accomplishments in the Philippine National Police (PNP) has already been stopped.

However, Abalos noted that there is still a mechanism in the police organization for the accountability of police officers in maintaining peace and security in their areas.

“Although wala nang quota system, pero pinakita ko kanina, if the prevalence of any criminality, it is so prevalent, puwedeng managot agad, puwede ipatanggal agad,” he said in a press conference.

(Although there is no longer a quota system, I showed earlier that if the criminality is so prevalent, we can hold police personnel accountable and have them relieved.)

“Nandoon yung mekanismong yun pero wala nang quota system [There is a mechanism for that but there is no more quota system],” he added.

In May, the PNP said it was considering removing the quota system after reports that some police personnel were faking their accomplishments for promotion.

PNP deputy chief for administration Police Lieutenant General Rhodel Sermonia said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla and Abalos ordered the PNP to get rid of the quota system.

“We have sat down with [Secretary Remulla] about that quota system and then that's the first directive of our Chief PNP General Acorda and of course it was also the directive of [Secretary Abalos] to stop that quota system…,” Sermonia said.

“Alam po namin yun. Kaya nga napre-pressure yung mga operatives natin noon [We know that. That is why our operatives before were pressured],” he added.

On August 2, 17-year-old boy Jemboy Baltazar was on his way to fish when he was shot and killed by Navotas City policemen in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran.

The cops claimed they had mistaken the teenager for a suspect in a fatal shooting incident during the follow-up operation.

According to the PNP, there were lapses in the operation.

Meanwhile, in Imus, Cavite, nine police officers allegedly looted the house of 67-year-old Rebecca Caoile, a former professor, in Barangay Alapan 1-A during a buy-bust operation.

CCTV footage showed the cops were seen carrying some items from the house including a tire and a motorcycle rim. Caoile's son said the cops also robbed his savings worth P80,000, his laptop, and tools. — BM, GMA Integrated News