Police stations must be open to the public 24/7 – PRO-7

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7). | Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Police stations all over the country must be open and ready to render service 24/7 the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) said.

The order is in line with one of the instructions issued by newly-appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil.

Marbil was designated as chief and replacement of retired Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr., effective Monday,  April 1, 2024.

One of the instructions issued by the new PNP chief for his personnel is to always be ready to accommodate citizens at the police stations day or night.

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“Of course, he also reiterated na ang atong mga police units, especially police stations should always be ready in attending to concerns of our citizens, whatever the time of the day is,” relayed Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, PRO-7 spokesperson.

Pelare also revealed that regional director, Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, has already given the order to the stations in Central Visayas to always be ready to tend to criminal complaints at any time of the day.

“Police stations are not closed. Walay magclose nga police station. Walay mamawng og suga. Walay matug nga duty. Always ready sila,” Pelare said.

Aside from closing police stations to the public, it is also an offense for PNP personnel to not extend their services to individuals who come to the station for help.

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Pelare advised the members of the community to not be hesitant in asking for assistance at the police stations in their area as they are expected to be always open.

Furthermore, he urged law enforcement agents to go back to their basic trainings and to serve the community as they have vowed to do.

“We urge our police officers to just go back to basics. Let us just do our job as we have been told to, as we have been trained. And the community members, adto mo sa police station any time of the day and you will be attended to well by our police officers,” stated Pelare.

In addition to this, the new PNP chief has sent out instructions that no police officers on duty are allowed to use their mobile phones, except when absolutely necessary.

Pelare, for his part, emphasized this directive and relayed that PRO-7 is not new to the instruction on the prohibition of mobile phones during duty.

“Ako lang i-emphasize ang instruction sa atong chief PNP, when the police is on duty on the streets or in other places, dapat dili siya maggunit og cellphone. Except of course when there is an emergency wherein he needs to call for backup,” stated Pelare.

Pelare further said that officers who will be caught violating this order will be facing consequences, together with their station commander.

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“But kung magduty siya, dayon maghold siyag cellphone, magmessage, magtext or magplay or magduwa og mga games, the specific instruction is to charge that police administratively. And including the supervisor or the station commander, the chief of police,” he said.

It can be recalled that during the coverage of the Sinulog festival last January 2024, a police officer was caught in the act of playing games on his mobile phone while on duty.

Because of this, the officer was relieved, transferred to a different area, and charged for the violation.

Pelare explained that this specific instruction by the PNP chief is part of the basics of what is expected of a law enforcement agent to properly carry out his responsibilities.