PNoy opens PNP value training school in Subic

SUBIC FREEPORT – As part of the government’s program institute reforms for police officers, the Philippine National Police (PNP) opened yesterday a new training school for values and leadership offering back-to-basics instruction on police discipline.

President Benigno Aquino III led the simple opening ceremony of the 1.7 hectare training facility called as the PNP Values and Leadership School built within the jungle of the lush Subic forest.

“Tell us what you need and we will give it to you,” Aquino said in his speech as a vowed to fully support all police reforms program of the PNP.

The training facility will offer a re-orientation program on the basic principles of police leadership, Christian leadership, purpose-driven life, police ethical standards, personal financial management, and team-building.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa also attended the opening ceremonies along with top officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority led by Chairman Feliciano Salonga and Administrator Armand Arreza.

Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia, Zambales Gov. Jun Ebdane, Dinalupihan town Mayor Joel Payumo, Olongapo City Councilor Luigi Lipumano and several other local officials also graced the occasion.

The facility includes the administration building, dormitories, barracks, classrooms, a mess hall, and sports facilities.

Verzosa said that the values and leadership course that police personnel will undergo here is a refresher program to correct some personal lapses and to remind them of how they are supposed to conduct themselves as law enforcers and public servants.

The re-training facility was made available to the PNP through a Memorandum of Agreement with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and bankrolled by a P14-million grant from the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) in support of the PNP’s advocacy program of transparency and public accountability under the PNP Integrated Transformation Program.
In 2004, the PNP started to use Subic facility as a “reformatory school” for officers who have been found as TABA cops (tamad, abusado, bastos, and ayaw padisiplina or lazy, abusive, ill-mannered, and recalcitrant) during the time of former Director Avelino Razon Jr.
The facility was then called the “ Subic purgatory,” where they will undergo rigid retraining and courses to discipline erring police.
It could be recalled, that Versoza himself issued a warning that policemen caught inside bars and other similar nightspots without being part of any official operation will be sent to retraining in Subic or dismissed.
Verzosa issued the order in response to the growing complaints against policemen frequently seen inside nightclubs and other similar establishments.

He had also received reports of some police unit commanders accepting protection money from club owners who are engaged in prostitution and lewd shows.

Cops caught in night spots without being on official duty will be sent for reorientation to the TABA Camp in Subic in Zambales. (REY GARCIA)