Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday urged members of the Southern Police District (SPD) based in the City of Taguig to be models of behavior among the citizens, saying true transformation in the country’s peace and order situation can only happen when people are on board with the PNP’s vision of transformation.
“Lalo po doon sa inyong Civil Relations, hindi niyo po kakayanin ang peace and order kung pulis lang, hindi po kakayanin ni mayor lang, hindi kakayanin ng mga kapitan at mga kagawad. Kailangan ang pagbabago nanggagaling mismo sa tao,” Cayetano said to SPD officers at their 2023 Thanksgiving event in Taguig on January 10, 2023.
“Parang cleanliness ‘yan. Kahit anong basura ilagay, kahit anong huli ang gagawin mo kung ‘yung tao ang tingin nila pwede silang magtapon ng upos ng sigarilyo, kaya magtapon kahit saan, hindi magbabago ‘di ba,” he added.
Cayetano also urged the SPD to “be persistent” in partnering with the local government units especially in terms of what the police force needs in order to perform its tasks.
“Number one (is) persistence. Kung alam niyong tama at alam niyong kailangan – ‘yan po man ay sasakyan, ‘yan po man ay training, ‘yan po man ay disability, ‘yan po man ay mga Commission on Audit regulations, et cetera – be persistent,” he said.
“Let me ask you to continue to partner with the cities and municipalities in southern Metro Manila,” he added.
Cayetano referenced the Biblical parable of the persistent widow in the Gospel of Luke, saying the police should not grow weary of asking for support from local and national governments if peace and order is at stake.
“We all know that there will not be a republic kung walang peace and order,” he said.
The senator also touched on the issue of perceived corruption in the police force, calling on SPD officers to ensure that a “transformation” can take place among the ranks.
“Bakit kahit ano gawin natin, kulang? Kasi walang internal na pagbabago. That’s why I’m very happy na isa ito sa mga programa ng PNP, ‘yung moral reform,” he said.
