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(UPDATE - 3:24 p.m.

) MANILA The modernization effort for the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be futile if
trust and integrity is not restored, not only to the organization but also to its leadership, Senator Grace Poe told Director
General Alan Purisimaat a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
In her opening statement during the hearing of a proposed measure for PNP modernization, Poe said that the police
cannot execute its mandate to implement the law and protect the citizenry if ordinary Filipinos have no trust on the
organization.
"Integrity should be restored to the PNP leadership, a leadership that asserts moral persuasion, and, most of all, an
exemplary leadership that is seen, heard and can be looked up to," Poe told Purisima.
Poe said that, if the PNP organization has resolve the issue on trust and confidence, then modernization will follow suit.
"An institution like the PNP that we value will deserve our support to modernize itself and become more effective in
preserving law and order," Poe added.
"A police force cannot be effective if it lacks equipment and logistics capability, or if lawmen do not get paid adequate
wages to live decently and with integrity. We need to look into these things," she said.
The senator said that the primary mandate of PNP is to enforce the law, protect the citizens and preserve peace and
order in the country.
"But, here in the Senate, our job is not only to legislate laws, but also to investigate and look into different agencies in
the government in order to make sure that things are done properly," Poe said.
Poe said it cannot be denied that, for the past few months, there have been policemen caught up in crimes, including
series of hulidap incidents under the La Loma Police Station in Quezon City and Malolos Police Station in Bulacan.
"Those incidents have not yet been resolved, and here comes another case of a Pakistani national who complained of
extortion allegedly by operatives of the Anti-Carnapping Unit of Manila Police District," Poe said.
These incidents are not directly tied up with the modernization issue, but to the restoration of trust and the integrity of
the police organization.
"How can the PNP execute its mandate if it doesn't have the trust and confidence of ordinary people?" she asked.
Meanwhile, in his opening statement, Purisima apologized to Poe for his absence in the last two hearings, which tended
to give the impression that he did not wish to cooperate with the work of the panel.
"On the contrary, as the leader of our national police force, I take responsibility for making sure that the elected
representatives of the people are provided the information they need to carry out meaningful reforms in the police
organization," Purisima said.
Purisima told the panel that he is initiating the necessary reforms to weed out scalawags in the police force, and
dismantling crooked practices in transacting business with the PNP.
He expressed sadness that "just at the time we are making headway against corruption and malfeasance, we get
brickbats and expressions of doubt against our efforts at reform as we push against those who would block meaningful
change, those who want only to line their pockets."
Aside from the police modernization bill, the Senate panel is deliberating four resolutions on the issue of rising
criminality, high rate of kidnap incidents and the rise in mortality rates due to unlicensed firearms.
The bills and resolutions are authored separately by Senators JV Ejercito-Estrada, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Tito
Sotto, Jinggoy Estrada and Poe.
In a related development, President Aquino on Monday summoned Purisima to seek an explanation on the corruption
issues raised against the latter.
"My understanding is that the PNP chief talked to the President. But I did not have the opportunity to get details on
their meeting," Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a briefing aired
over state-run Radyong Bayan on Tuesday.
Coloma, however, acknowledged that it would be unfair for Purisima to be forced to resign over mere allegations.
"Under our legal system, we have processes to follow. It will not be logical to conclude that an official's integrity is
already questionable based on mere allegations," the Palace official added.
President Aquino earlier said he wanted to study the accusations against Purisima before taking any action.
The Coalition of Filipino Consumers has filed charges of plunder, graft and indirect bribery against Purisima over his
alleged "hidden mansion" in Nueva Ecija and the renovation of the PNP White House, his official residence at Camp
Crame.

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