PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is eyeing the creation of a legal department within the Philippine National Police (PNP) to safeguard its officers from harassment and unfounded accusations.
During the second command conference with the PNP held at Camp Crame, Marcos emphasized the need for a dedicated legal department that would function as defense counsel for any police officer facing various complaints.
“We’ll create an office, the legal office within the PNP, which will be the defense counsel for any policeman charged with any complaint or crime. They will have immediate access to a lawyer for advice, and it will be internal, so they won’t have to pay,” Marcos said.
He expressed concern over instances when cases are weaponized against the police by criminals with skilled lawyers.
“These groups can afford lawyers and quickly resolve issues. We need to provide similar protection for our police so they can confidently perform their duties without fear of harassment,” Marcos said.
“They face charges from powerful figures with significant resources and access to prominent lawyers. We must have our own defense to protect our people,” he added. (GP)
