Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Debold Sinas said that for him, the short stints of the country’s top police official is fine with him as it would not affect the long-term programs of the PNP.
Senator Richard Gordon in a Senate hearing on the series of killings asked Sinas if he is in favor of a bill that would fix a PNP chief’s term to two years.
“Salamat po sir pero okay na po ako, sir, sa time ng pagserbisyo ko po, sir, para mapagbigyan naman po ‘yung iba,” Sinas, now only two months at the helm of the PNP, responded.
The PNP chief would be retiring in May this year.
“What we could assure you, ‘yung long-term programs namin hindi po namin pinabayaan po ‘yan. Kumbaga we are already institutionalizing at kung sino man po ang maging chief PNP as long as the policies are laid out, tuloy-tuloy po ‘yan,” Sinas said.
Gordon answered that the PNP should prioritize the public’s need for stable leadership than the promotion of police officials.
“In other words, ang policy is pagbigyan naman natin ang ibang kaklase natin? Pero ang dapat pagbigyan ‘yung madla, ang ating mga kababayan,” the senator said.
Sinas not keen on extending terms of PNP chiefs
Meanwhile, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, also former PNP chief, tried to help Sinas explain.
“Siguro ‘yung gustong punto na i-drive ni General Sinas is that it’s not how long you serve, but it is how you serve. ‘Yun ang gusto niya i-emphasize,” Dela Rosa said.
Gordon replied with a joke, “I don’t like to make any sexist statements here pero parang quickie, parang quickie ‘yan ah.”
In November 2020, Senator Leila de Lima filed a bill seeking to increase the mandatory retirement age of officers and non-officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from 56 years old to 60 years.
The detained senator filed Senate Bill No. 1899 or an Act Increasing the Compulsory Age of Retirement for PNP officers and non-officers, noting that officers and personnel of the PNP are often considered “too young” to retire at the age of 56.
De Lima said this is more evident, especially when appointing officials in high-ranking positions such as chief of PNP.