Home>Editorial>Opinion>Transform your camps into ‘zones of discipline,’ Sinas tells men nationwide
Opinion

Transform your camps into ‘zones of discipline,’ Sinas tells men nationwide

PHILIPPINE National Police chief, General Debold M. Sinas, has ordered that Camp Crame and all police headquarters and camps nationwide be transformed into ‘zones of discipline’ where all rules and regulations are observed to the hilt.

Mamang Pulis
Mamang Pulis

“Equally important is the strict observance of discipline inside police camps and police stations. As such, administrative cases will be resolved properly and penalties will be implemented immediately,” said the 25th PNP chief from Philippine Military Academy ‘Hinirang’ Class of 1987.

When he was still the Secretary to the PNP Directorial Staff, Sinas became known for partnering with the PNP Headquarters Support Service in enforcing all Camp Crame rules and regulations and saw to it that star-rank officers regularly attended their flag-raising and flag-lowering activities.

Regular absentees as well as other officers and men who were caught violating camp rules and regulations including the wearing of proper uniforms and having proper haircut were marked and subjected to disciplinary measures.

In a memorandum, PNP Chief Directorial Staff, Major Gen. Joselito M. Vera Cruz enumerated the PNP chief’s guidance on discipline inside their camps in order to maintain safety, security and orderliness.

The memorandum reminds all PNP personnel, visitors and/or concessionaries to strictly observe protocols inside Camp Crame which has been declared a ‘No Smoking Zone.’

Sinas said there should be no illegal settlers inside police camps wherein the no parking rule on pedestrian lanes and along roadsides must be enforced.

He also ordered the strict observance of the ‘No Plate, No Travel’ policy,’ and the observance of ‘Tamang Bihis’ among uniformed and non-uniformed personnel of the police force. The PNP chief also ordered civilians entering the camp to always be on proper attire.

Lastly, he directed all subordinate officers to always salute officers as a sign of respect and in accordance with their tradition.

Maj. Gen. Vera Cruz said the HSS Camp Security and Escort Unit’s ‘Task Force Disiplina’ has been ordered to strictly enforce all camp rules and regulations including the directives of Sinas

The PNP-HSS now headed by Brigadier Gen. Arthur V. Bisnar will partner with the PNP Highway Patrol Group and the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group in implementing the ‘No Plate, No Travel’ policy inside Camp Crame.

Under the program, officers apprehend persons driving vehicles without license plate or those with suspicious fake plates and spurious registration papers. Drivers of these motor vehicles and motorcycles are also required to produce their driver’s license.

When he was still the director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Sinas enforced a strict ‘No Plate, No Travel’ policy inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City wherein the camp’s gates were closed at a certain period and base policemen checked the registration papers and driver’s license of all persons with vehicles in the NCRPO headquarters.

The same was also done at the headquarters of the Manila, Quezon City, Northern, Eastern and Southern Police Districts on orders of then NCRPO chief. The drive resulted in the apprehension of many who were found with expired driver’s license or registration papers.

Some were also investigated after being found in possession of motor vehicles and motorcycles with suspicious origin.

The same was also done in Camp Crame and yielded positive results.

Sinas said he wants the random inspection of motor vehicles and motorcycles in police headquarters and camps to ensure that the practice of using recovered motor vehicles will be fully stopped.

He earlier ordered a crackdown on policemen who have gained notoriety for using recovered stolen motor vehicles or those seized in anti-narcotics operations. Agents of the PNP-IMEG have arrested several policemen for committing the offense. All are now facing criminal and administrative charges which will merit their dismissal from the police force.

Sinas also ordered a crackdown on illegal settlers inside Camp Crame and other police headquarters and camps nationwide. These illegal settlers illegally occupy spaces in PNP camps and are known for using water and electricity without paying for them.

In many cases, the illegal settlers were found to be active or retired police personnel who allowed their immediate family and other relatives and friends to live in their barracks which they have assumed to be their own.

This happened at the NCRPO when Sinas and his men were confronted by a retired policeman and his family as they tried to evict them from an old building inside the Southern Police District headquarters which Sinas wanted converted into a treatment and isolation facility for NCRPO members who have contracted the COVID-19 virus in the performance of their duties.