Lacson mulls reward scheme for policemen

Former Philippine National Police chief Panfilo "Ping" Lacson will push for the enactment of a measure that will create a reward scheme for law enforcement units responsible for the arrest and conviction of big-time crime lords, if he gets elected in the Senate.

Lacson said that under this scheme, law enforcement units can have at least a seven percent from the illicit wealth of crime lords as soon as they are convicted by the courts.

Under existing laws, the government can have the right to confiscate the assets of a person as long as it can prove that these are ill-gotten or were amassed through illegal means.

Lacson, who is running for senator under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, said one of the causes of corruption in the law enforcement is the inability of the government to adequately provide for the basic needs of the country’s law enforcers.

He lamented that despite the enactment of the Salary Standardization Law that have increased the minimum wage of civil service personnel, PNP personnel are yet to get their share of the salary hike due to lack of government funds.

"That’s what I call congressional estafa," Lacson told reporters in Laoag City yesterday.

Under Lacson’s reward scheme, law enforcers need not rely solely from what the government can give them in order to have a decent life because they will be given the opportunity to earn extra income while fighting crime at the same time.

This stem, which is already being practiced by the other countries, could also help stem corruption in the police service, Lacson said.

Lacson said the reward scheme which he intends to propose in case he is given the people’s mandate to serve in the Senate, would also encourage law enforcers to intensely pursue the case of arrested crime lords until they are convicted by the courts.