Napolcom targets zero backlogs by December 2025

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) vowed Friday to resolve all remaining cases by December 2025.

In a press conference at Quezon City, Napolcom vice chairperson and executive officer Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan addressed current viral incidents involving uniformed personnel.

While he stated that only less than 1% of reported incidents involved uniformed personnel, such incidents were not isolated in nature and should be addressed.

“Marami pang sunod-sunod na pangyayari ng nahuli, nakasuhan, pero binabanggit ko na hindi ito ang kabuuang repleksyon, ugali ng PNP pero nakakagalit. Malungkot na malungkot ako, bordering on nagagalit na ko, kasi di yan isolated incident eh. Yung nagsasabi na isolated incident, kasinungalingan yun… Hindi to isolated. Mayroong kailangan na baguhin sa current na setup ng Philippine National Police,” Calinisan said.

(There have been so many incidents of police being caught and charged, this does not reflect the whole of PNP but this is infuriating. I am very sad, bordering on angry, because this is not an isolated incident. Whoever is saying it is an isolated incident, that is a lie… This is not isolated. Something needs to be changed with the current set up of the PNP.)

“Sa lahat naman ng nakikita nating balita, isa lang naman nakikita nating pangyayari. Yung sunod-sunod na pangyayari, I don’t think it’s isolated. I will lie to you if I say it’s isolated… We have to embrace and accept na may nangyayari. Ang tanong, what are we doing about it?” he added.

(With all the news we’ve been seeing, we can only see one event. With the back-to-back events, I don’t think it’s isolated. I will lie to you if I say it’s isolated… We have to embrace and accept that something is happening. The question is, what are we doing about it?)

He added that the delays in addressing pending cases affect the people’s trust in Napolcom, as some cases took decades to be resolved.

As a result, he vowed to reduce processing time of cases to only 60 to 80 days from filing.

“Libo ang pending na kaso. Nung isang araw lang, mayroon kaming niresolve na 18-year case, mayroon kaming naresolve na 21-year case… I am now part of the Commission, I cannot point fingers on what we can do now. Lilinisin natin lahat 'yan. Ang instruction natin, i-zero backlog natin lahat ng kaso by December 2025,” he said.

(There are thousands of pending cases. Just the other day, we resolved an 18-year case, we’ve resolved a 21-year case… I am now part of the Commission, I cannot point fingers on what we can do now. We will clean it up. Our instruction is to achieve a zero backlog on all cases by December 2025.)

“Punishment must be certain, and under our term, we will make sure that punishment is certain to abusive acts…Let me be clear, and again I stress, the moral and welfare of our policemen is of paramount importance. Hindi ito ang repleksyon ng kung sino ang pulis natin. Kaya [para sa] nagawa ng sunod-sunod na pangyayaring ito, maghanda kayo sa National Police Commission dahil sasampolan namin kayo. Tapos na ang maliligayang araw ninyo,” he continued.

(This is not a reflection of our police officers. For [whoever] did these back-to-back events, be prepared because Napolcom will go after you. Your happy days are over.)

Meanwhile, he noted a need for a multi-sector approach to start a change within uniformed personnel.

He proposed a change in the recruitment process of the PNP, among other steps.

“We also have to look into the recruitment process of the PNP. Maybe there’s something that they’re missing. Is it a psychological problem, neuropsychological problem? Yung indocrination ba ng PNP, medyo kulang? (Is the PNP’s indoctrination lacking?)... Make it stricter,”  he said.

Calinisan also believed that improving the process of the Napolcom’s case resolution and political will may help them reach their target.

“Very clear sa akin ang instruction ng President, aside from the moral welfare of the PNP, is internal policy. 'Yun din ang instruction ng ating Secretary… It’s just a matter of political will, putting more resources in, hiring more lawyers, setting deadlines for lawyers and making lawyers accountable for delays,” he shared.

(The instruction of the President is very clear, aside from the moral welfare of the PNP, is internal policy. This is also the instruction of our Secretary… It’s just a matter of political will, putting more resources in, hiring more lawyers, setting deadlines for lawyers and making lawyers accountable for delays.)

“It’s just a matter of planning and discipline. Ang pinakaimportante is accountability, (The most important thing is accountability,) not just for those being sued but also for those handling these cases,” he added.

Napolcom is now conducting an inventory of its current cases.—AOL, GMA Integrated News