PBBM vetoes PNP reforms act citing efficiency, compensation concerns

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. vetoed the proposed Philippine National Police (PNP) Organizational Reforms Act due to concerns about administrative policy and efficiency, including potential redundancies and distortions in compensation.

The President cited that the bill runs counter to the administration's rightsizing policy by creating new offices and potentially causing overlapping functions.

Marcos also raised concerns that certain provisions could lead to unfair disparities in compensation among officers, noting that a provision would raise the salary of Philippine National Police Academy cadets to exceed that of a police lieutenant.

Concerns were also raised that proposed changes to the Internal Affairs Service might compromise its independence, and some parts of the bill were unclear regarding retroactive benefits.

The Philippine National Police, through spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, supports the President's decision and understands his concerns about fairness, equality, and avoiding bureaucracy.

The PNP will work with Congress to ensure future proposals will not unfavorably affect existing policies.