Lawmaker wants higher combat pay for cops

MANILA, Philippines - Cebu City Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing has pushed for the immediate passage of a bill increasing the combat duty pay of all commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP). 

House Bill 5455, to be known as “PNP Combat Duty Pay Increase,” also provides a mission allowance to the police personnel who are exposed to adversity, combat situations and hazards unusual to peacekeeping.

Under the bill, the monthly combat duty pay for commissioned and non-commissioned PNP personnel shall be increased from P240 to 25 percent of their base pay.

The mission allowance, on the other hand, shall represent 50 percent of their base pay, the bill provides. 

Quisumbing, vice chairman of the House committee on national defense and security, sought the immediate passage of the measure citing Section 5 of Article XVI of the Constitution, which provides that professionalism in the armed forces and adequate remuneration and benefits of its members shall be a prime concern of the State.

Quisumbing said the P240 per month combat pay is given only to police and military personnel assigned to critical areas or tactical units like the 44 members of the Special Action Force’s 55th Company who died in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25 during a mission to arrest two wanted international terrorists.

The amount necessary to implement the proposed law for the current year shall be charged against the savings of the Department of the Interior and Local Government if approved soon.

Likewise, the national government shall appropriate annually and include in the General Appropriation Act the amount corresponding to the total annual cost of the increase in combat pay.