Activity gathers prosecutors and police investigators
Dialogue fosters communication and understanding
Secretary of Justice Menardo I. Guevarra delivers his keynote message
HSF
"This meeting provides our law enforcers and prosecutors the opportunity not merely for interaction. More importantly, it is a venue for understanding what each does and how each must act in the larger scheme towards promoting the rule of law” said Secretary of Justice Menardo I. Guevarra in his keynote message during the Top-level Policy Dialogue on Operations and Information Exchange between the Department of Justice-National Prosecution Service (DOJ-NPS) and Philippine National Police-Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (PNP-DIDM) held in Manila last 28 November 2019.
Since September 2017, the DOJ-NPS has been organizing dialogue activities in the Northern Mindanao Region with the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation to bring prosecutors and police investigators together so they can discuss and exchange experiences and information to help improve their communication and deepen the understanding for each other’s work and points of view.
HSF
Through these dialogues, observations and learning points have been gathered and some challenges have been addressed at the local level. Meanwhile, recommendations requiring decisions and interventions from top-level officials remain. It is during this dialogue that those matters were elevated for discussion with the top-level officers of both the DOJ-NPS and of the PNP-DIDM. In turn, the top officials agreed to look into the recommendations and explore possible changes that may realistically be achieved and that may help effect the results hoped for.
It was also during this activity that collective observations made by the delegation of prosecutors and police officers during their information and exchange visit to Germany in June 2019 were presented to the top-level officials, particularly on police training and education and on community impact. Corresponding recommendations were also made, including the continued holding of the dialogue activities, specialized training and legislative support.
The results presented and the discussions that transpired showed the success of the series of dialogue activities. The improvement in prosecution and in the efficiency rate for crimes cleared and crimes solved in the region were attributed in part to the continued conduct of dialogue activities between the prosecutors and the police investigators.
PNP Officer-in-Charge, Police Lieutenant General Archie Francisco F. Gamboa committed the continued support of the PNP for the project
HSF
Both the Secretary of Justice and the PNP Officer-in-Charge expressed gratitude for the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation for the project, which they lauded for the positive results gained thus far. They reconfirmed their commitment towards prosecution and law enforcement’s working together for improved prosecution of cases and voiced support for the continued holding of the dialogue activities.
On his part, PNP Officer-in-Charge, Police Lieutenant General Archie Francisco F. Gamboa committed the continued support of the PNP for this project, saying ”I would like to assure the Foundation and the rest of the prosecutors that i commit the Philippine National Police in this kind of endeavour and rest assured that we will be here for you in our quest for better prosecution of cases in government."
The possible expansion of the project to other areas in the country, including, but not limited to, the National Capital Region or other regions was enunciated for possible consideration. One concrete suggestion was to begin such “expansion” of the project area through the holding in Manila of a mid-level dialogue activity to which heads of the regional offices of prosecution and of the police are to meet and exchange experiences, information and suggestions for addressing challenges in their respective areas. The continued holding of the dialogue activities is planned for in the Foundation’s next project cycle, from year 2020 to 2022.