Marcos eyes creation of PNP legal department
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is eyeing to create a legal department within the Philippine National Police (PNP) to serve as «defense council of any policeman who is charged with whatever complaint, crime.»
«They have somewhere to go to, a lawyer to give them advice and it will be internal, so they do not have to pay,» said Marcos at the second PNP command conference on Tuesday.
Marcos said that the measure also aimed to protect the PNP from influential groups harassing the police force.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered a study for the possibility of creating a legal department within the Philippine National Police (PNP) as part of the administration’s efforts to protect the welfare of the police officers against harassments and flimsy accusations. PCO Photo«Let's study this well because the charges are being weaponized against the police. They are being harassed even if they're doing their job properly,» Marcos said.
«Trumped up charges will be filed against them, some of them are powerful figures. So, they have the capability, resources, and a lot of money… We have to protect our people,» he added.
The PNP's legal department will be responsible for providing legal advice and other services to the police officers.
Advertisement«So we have to provide that kind of protection for our police to embolden them to do their work because they are harassed for doing their work,» he said.
Marcos led the second PNP Command Conference in Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday where they discussed the PNP's operational accomplishments and compliance to Presidential directives.
In attendance during the command conference were PNP Chief Rommel Francisco Marbil, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., and Presidential Adviser on Military and Police Affairs Roman Felix.
