COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ORDER AND DANGEROUS DRUGS
28 February 2023; 10AM (Laurel Room)
OPENING STATEMENT

Thank you, ComSec.

On a daily basis, the members of our police force face risk in all forms and on all fronts. As the ones charged with the maintenance of law and order in our communities, they constantly put themselves in harm's way. Hindi naman po sa pagbubuhat ng sariling bangko - ang pagiging isang pulis ang isa sa pinakamahirap at peligrosong trabaho na maaaring pasukin ng isang tao. I think everyone agrees with me.

Marahil, ang pagiging peligroso ng buhay pulis ang isa sa dahilan kung bakit naamyendahan ang Republic Act No. 6975 para pataasin ang retirement at disability benefits ng PNP 25 years ago.

Sa kasamaang palad, kaakibat ng pagtaas ng disability benefits ng mga pulis ay ang pagkakaroon ng limitasyon nito. Under the current law, if a retiree under total disability dies within 5 years from his retirement, his/her heirs can only claim pension for the remainder of the 5 years guaranteed period. Today, we want to know the rationale behind the 5-year limitation. Bakit kailangang malimitahan sa limang taon ang benepisyo? We also want to know why their benefits did not increase in 2019 when all other uniformed personnel's pension increased.

Gusto rin po natin malaman ang magiging paliwanag ng COA. May COA ba tayo dito? Online. COA, h'wag ka muna umalis diyan ah. Napakaimportante ng papel mo dito. COA? Para ma-recognize ko, andiyan ba? Are you listening, Madame? 'Yan, COA, Cherrie Lou Arguilla. Sige, Ma'am, thank you. Thank you ah. I will ask you later. I will give you the floor later.

Gusto rin po natin malaman ang magiging paliwanag ng COA kung bakit nila kinonsidera ang NAPOLCOM welfare benefits at PNP pension bilang double compensation ng mga retiree under total disability. Kung double compensation ito, ano ang maari nating gawin para mabigyan sila ng sapat na benepisyo para sa kanilang pagpapagamot at panggastos ng pamilya? Hindi po nila ginusto ang magkaroon ng disability. Alam ko po na kung tatanungin nyo sila isa-isa ngayon, mas gugustuhin nila muli makagsilibi sa bayan kahit pa peligroso ang kanilang trabaho.

Sa kabilang banda, pag-uusapan din natin sa araw na ito ang Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Dangerous Drugs. This Oversight Committee is formed by virtue of Section 95 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or R.A. No. 9165. It was tasked to oversee and monitor the law's implementation. Kaya lang, katulad ng disability pension, ang Oversight Committee na ito ay may expiration period. Until today, what Congress has done was to extend this expiration period, thereby also extending the life of the Oversight Committee.

The question that we must address in discussing this matter is this: may we, instead, through legislation, remove this expiration period of the Committee? Or are we content to keep extending its life? Pili tayo. We know how important it is to ensure that R.A. No. 9165 is implemented properly. Perhaps, it is incumbent upon us to acknowledge as well the importance of the Oversight Committee that performs this very task. Kasi alam natin talaga very innovative itong mga, very dynamic itong, very fluid and very dynamic itong drug situation natin. At in order to address this dynamism at innovation na in-introduce ng mga drug players, kailangan talaga constant 'yung oversight function ng committee na ito para makapag-address kaagad tayo ng mga issues that requires immediate action through legislation. So 'yan po ang nakikita natin ngayon.

I know that each one of you present in today's hearing shares my vision of a peaceful Filipino society. But this vision, if it is to be achieved, must be translated into action. In the context of this hearing, we hope that, number one, it would mean providing more benefits and support for our police force, and number two, [ensuring] that our drug policy is effectively carried out through the existence of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Dangerous Drugs. Nakalimutan ko palang banggitin, isang innovation na ginagawa not only of the drug community kundi 'yung drug enforcement community, 'yung binanggit ni Director Lazo du'n sa hearing sa House of Representatives wherein hindi na daw nagdo-dole out ng cash reward. Instead of rewarding cash, in-kind na daw ang nire-reward du'n sa mga informant, 'yung mga police assert or PDEA asset na 'yon. Kung magbigay sila ng impormasyon, in exchange for that information, hindi na 'yung cash rewards na to be approved by DDB, 'yung Dangerous Drugs Board, kundi immediately, hatian na doon on the ground sa 30% of the seized or confiscated contraband, 'yung droga which is very bad, very unacceptable and makaka-high blood kapag isipin mo 'yon. Kaya I'm going to conduct another hearing pertaining to that at sana handa kayo, PNP, PDEA, Dangerous Drugs Board to answer this seemingly unscrupulous practice that is being done by our drug operatives, but that will come in another hearing.

I thank you all in anticipation of the valuable insights and productive discussion that we shall be sharing in this hearing.