Reorganization eyed to strengthen IAS

The Philippine National Police is considering the reorganization of the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to strengthen its capabilities.

This was the agreement reached during a recent meeting between PNP officerin-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa and the civilian inspector general of IAS, Alfegar Triambulo.

The two officials held a meeting at Camp Crame in

Quezon City last Friday to thresh out differences after Triambulo’s public pronouncement that the IAS wanted to break away from the PNP.

Triambulo said Gamboa

will propose to the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to reorganize the IAS to bring more personnel. As officer-in-charge, Gamboa also sits as Napolcom ex-officio member.

“First thing we will do is reorganization and he appears to be willing to do it,” Triambulo said in a phone interview, referring to Gamboa.

Triambulo is prodding Congress to amend Republic Act 8551, also known as the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act, to make IAS an independent body.

He wants the IAS to be separate from the police force to give the investigating body more authority to prosecute police scalawags.

Currently, the IAS is under the supervision and control of the PNP chief, thus subjecting their recommendations to the chief’s review and approval.

If the Napolcom is amenable to the proposal, Triambulo said they will ask for more slots so that they can hire more lawyers.

The IAS only has 29 lawyers, including Triambulo, on its roster, which he said was not enough to handle all the administrative cases involving rogue police officers.

“We lack so much in men that’s why in many regions, we don’t have lawyers,” Triambulo said in Filipino.

Former PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde last May approved the request of the IAS to recruit 50 lawyers.

Triambulo said this has been held in abeyance as the investigating body will conduct another assessment to determine the exact number of lawyers they need.

The IAS will have its own divisions under their proposal. Triambulo said this is necessary as they have other functions aside from hearing administrative cases.

According to Triambulo, they assist in the filing of criminal cases against erring policemen.

“We will also conduct research to assist in the attitude and behavior of police officers. We can’t do that now because we don’t have a division for that,” he said.