Binay opposed to clipping mayor's power to choose police chief

Vice-President Jejomar Binay on Friday urged the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to reevaluate its proposal to remove the power of city and municipal mayors to choose the chiefs of police in their jurisdiction. In a statement, Binay said forcing mayors to work with the police chief chosen by the Philippine National Police (PNP) is against the thrust of the Constitution. The Local Government Code allows mayors to select their police chief from a list of three candidates nominated by the PNP. “Our Constitution guarantees local autonomy and pushes for the decentralization of power. Giving the PNP the power to select local chiefs of police is contrary to the constitutional thrust that local officials should decide on local affairs," he said. Binay, who served as Makati mayor for 24 years, likewise said that the selection of the local police chief should always take into consideration a mayor’s trust and confidence in the police chief. "They need to work together for them to serve the people better," he said. Binay issued the statement after Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Senator Teofisto Guingona III said that he is inclined to push for the amendment of laws that allow mayors to select the local police chief. “I believe Senator Guingona’s proposal, which seems to be intended to address the jueteng issue, will not necessarily curb this illegal numbers game," he said. Guingona headed the Senate inquiry on the jueteng controversy. During the hearing, retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz tagged Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno and retired PNP chief Jesus Verzosa in the jueteng mess, saying they were the ultimate recipients of payola. He also cited some local officials and retired generals as jueteng lords and operators. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago likewise alleged in a privilege speech that there is a connivance between local officials and the police in conducting jueteng operations all over the country. Binay, however, said he believes the government will solve the problem with the illegal numbers game either by making it legal or by legislating and enforcing "stringent" laws against it. -VVP, GMANews.TV