Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla recently graced the 70th founding anniversary of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Quezon City. In his speech, he made a biting remark on the practice of the police force in arresting people just for the sake of reaching their quota and accomplishments.

“We should not accost people just so we can claim an accomplishment” said Remulla in a story by Philippine Star. Now coming from Remulla, I find it a bit off but then we have to give him credit for mentioning the obvious and having the bile to say it in front of the same forces who are usually in the limelight for arresting people with names who have committed simple misdeeds.

Who can forget CIDG-6 who usually operates and arrests people operating illegal cockfights and eventually lands in the limelight as bet money are often times lost in translation?

The statement of the DOJ head is worthy of attention especially for the leaders of the PNP and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as well. It cannot be denied that the PNP leadership is implementing a quota system in arresting lawless elements and persons involved in illegal acts as its way of monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement. If a unit fails to reach their quota, it’s not doing its job thus its head should be relieved.

I can remember the regional office of the PNP here when it relieved its provincial head in the province of Guimaras because the unit failed to bust drug dens and arrest pushers. The poor provincial director was left scratching his head as all reports including that of other units point to a non-operation of a drug den and bigtime illegal drug pushers in the province. But he cannot do anything about it and instead tow the line since the policy is about reaching quotas. The joke circulating at that time in the island province is for the new provincial director to set-up a drug den and initiate a raid if only to have a score on their score sheet. The charges will be dropped anyway.

Today, the quota system is still being implemented. I remember a police unit asking me to surrender in their office when my arrest warrant for libel went out instead of submitting myself directly to the court so that they can have a score on their crime management and enforcement sheet.

I was amused since the unit is very effective in ensuring and keeping peace and order in the area yet for them to be recognized as performing well all the categories and quotas in their score sheet must be filled in.

Such is never and should never be a measure of a policeman’s work or performance. Every unit is working in a unique community with different dynamics. If there are no scores in their scoresheet and quota requirements it does not necessarily imply that they are a failure or are not doing their jobs.

Thus, with Remulla noting such situation, DILG must step-in and revisit the policy of the police force which definitely will be denied by the leadership. Of course, because such is a stupid rule and is unwritten.

It can actually help in professionalizing the police force and at the same time de-clogging the work of the prosecution service and even the over populated local jails. The police then can work on efficient case build-ups and ensure delivery of justice instead of making swift arrests for purposes of meeting quotas to satisfy the leadership that views statistics as their measure of success.