Aquino distributes 22,000 pistols to PNP

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino distributes 22,000 Glock pistols, part of efforts to upgrade the equipment of the Philippine police.

Natashya Gutierrez reports.  

One gun per policeman. This is the goal of the Philippine National Police.
The PNP is one step closer to a 1 is to 1 police-gun ratio, an unprecedented feat.
Aquino hands out the 1st tranche of new guns bought by the government.
The P1.2-B procurement is part of the PNP’s Capability Enhancement program…
which aims to upgrade the 148,000-strong police force’s capability to fight crime.

BENIGNO AQUINO III
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
Katumbas ang pagpapaunlad natin sa inyong kapasidad, ang pag-aangat natin sa kalidad ng inyong serbisyo sa sambayanan. Isipin n’yo, wala man bibit na baril o kakulangan man sa armas, nagagawa pa rin ninyong magpakitang gilas. Paano pa kaya kung mayroon nang sapat at modernong kagamitan ang inyong hanay? (The improvement of your capabilities is equivalent to the increased quality of your service to the people. Imagine, even when you didn’t carry any guns or even when there was a shortage, you were still able to show what you can do. What more when you have the appropriate and modern equipment?)

Aquino says this is just the beginning of reforms for the police which includes buying rifles, patrol cars, communications and laboratory equipment.
It also includes hiring 15,000 civilians to take over PNP’s administrative jobs to send out more cops into the streets.

The construction of government housing for soldiers and police are also underway.

BENIGNO AQUINO III
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
Tapos na po ang panahon ng pang-aapi sa ating kapulisan. Magpakatotoo po tayo sa ating mga boss. At ako na ho ang bahalang maniguradong talaga namang damang-dama n’yo ang pag-aaruga at pagmamahal ng nagpapasalamat na sambayanan. (The time of taking our police for granted is over. Let’s be true our bosses. And I promise I will make sure you feel the gratefulness of the nation.)

In the middle of his speech, he commends two police officers for catching criminals even without a gun and orders Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and PNP Chef Alan Purisima to promote them.

BENIGNO AQUINO III
PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
Mar at Alan, parang hindi ko napansin doon sa report ng ating dalawang nabanggit na sila ay na-promote. ‘Yong mga ganyang gandang gilas palagay ko naman ay talagang naman yan ang definition ng meritorious promotion, see to it that these two are promoted. (Mar and Alan, I don’t think the report mentioned any promotion for these two. Those who show such impressive ability, I think they define meritorious promotion.)

With the reforms, Aquino aims to boost the morale of a police force that has lost the people’s trust.
Aquino has 3 years to fulfill his promise to modernize the PNP improve their capability and change the way Filipinos view their cops.
Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler, Manila.

– Rappler.com