PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE

Originating from a merging of the Philippine Constabulary and the Integrated

National Police, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is the civilian national police
force of the Philippines. The following is a brief history of the PNP and the
organizational structure that it holds today.

I. HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
The Philippine National Police (PNP) originated from the Philippine Constabulary
or the PC, which was inaugurated on August 8, 1901, establishing it as an insular
police force under the American regime. On August 8, 1975, Presidential Decree no.
765 was issued, establishing the Philippine Constabulary Integrated National Police
or the PC/INP as the country’s national police force. These fragmented and diverse
local police units were integrated into a national police force with the Philippine
Constabulary as its nucleus.

After the People’s Revolution in 1986, a new Constitution was promulgated

providing for a police force, which is “national in scope and civilian in character.”
Consequently, Republic Act No. 6975 entitled, “An Act Establishing the Philippine
National Police under a Reorganized Department of the Interior and Local
government (DILG),” was signed into law on December 13, 1990, which took effect
on January 1, 1991. Subsequently, the PNP was operational on January 29, 1991,
whose members were formerly the PC and the INP and the absorption of the selected
members from the major service units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines such
as the Philippine Air Force Security Command, the Philippine Coast Guard,
Philippine Navy, and the Philippine Army.

Thus, to further strengthen the PNP into a highly efficient and competent police
force, Republic Act No. 8551 entitled “PNP Reform and the Reorganization Act of
1998” was enacted on February 17, 1998, amending certain provisions of Republic
Act No. 6975.
II. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
1. RELATIONSHIP OF THE PNP TO THE DILG
Pursuant to Republic Act No. 6975 as amended by Republic Act No. 8551, The PNP
in under the administrative control and operational supervision of the National
Police Commission. Meanwhile, the NAPOLCOM is an attached agency of the
Department of the Interior and Local Government for policy and program
coordination. The Secretary of the Interior and Local government is mandated to be
the Ex- Officio Chairman of NAPOLCOM.
2. THE PNP ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
In order to accomplish the mission, powers and functions of the PNP, its structure
was provided for as follows:

1. The PNP Command Group is headed by the Chief PNP who is vested with
the power to command and direct the PNP. He is also assisted by two Deputies
assigned to the administration of the PNP and one for operations side.
2. The Chief of the Directorial Staff serves as the Chief Operations Officer of
the PNP. He coordinates, supervises, and directs the Directorial Staff and the
PNP units in the performance of their respective functions.
3. The Internal Affairs Service (IAS) is headed by a Inspector General who
assists the Chief PNP in ensuring operational readiness and investigates
infractions of the regulations committed by the members of the PNP.
4. The Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO) is headed by a senior police
commissioned officer who serves as a manager of the facility that will
supervise the implementation of the guidelines and policies on human rights
laws.
5. The Center for Police Strategy Management (CPSM) serves as the Central
facility of the PNP in coordinating and integrating all strategy management
processes, sustaining its strategy execution and management, and instilling in
the organization a culture of strategy focus.
6. The Directorial Staff is composed of 16 directorates. Every Director in each
unit has also his defined function in line with his specialization as follows:
o The Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM).
The director optimizes the utilization of personnel resources both from
the PNP- uniformed and non- uniformed personnel.
o The Directorate for Intelligence (DI). The director manages the
gathering/collating of intelligence objectives through effective
management of all intelligence and counter-intelligence activities of the
PNP. He also serves as the linkage of all foreigners with official
transactions with the chief PNP.
o The Directorate for Operations (DO). The director exercises the
command, the control, the direction, the coordination and the
supervision of all activities on PNP operations such as deployment and
employment of personnel.
o The Directorate for Logistics (DL). The director administers and
manages material resources needed for the PNP operations.
 o The Directorate for Plans (DPL). The director plans and programs
strategic PNP operations. He also represents the PNP in the inter-
agency and international affairs on peace and order.
o The Directorate for Comptrollership (DC). The director administers
and manages the fiscal financial resources.
o The Directorate for Police-Community Relations (DPCR). The
director formulates and implements community –related activities,
programs and projects. He also supervises the PNP Salaam Police
Center to undertake close monitoring, networking and liaisoning
activities with the Muslim communities in addressing terrorism and
lawless violence in their respective areas to guarantee that the Muslims
are not discriminated, oppressed or singled-out.
o The Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management
(DIDM). The director coordinates. Controls and supervises all
investigation activities.
o The Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development
(DHRDD). The director formulates policies on matters pertaining to
human resources and doctrine development.
 The Directorate for Research and Development (DRD). The director
engages in research and development and does testing and evaluation of self-
reliant projects.
 The Directorate for Information and Communications Technology
Management (DICTM). The director integrates and standardizes all the PNP
information systems and resources to further improve the frontline services.
 Five (5) Directorates for Integrated Police Operations (DIPOs). The
Directors of the clustered areas for Integrated Police Operations, namely:
Eastern Mindanao, Western Mindanao, Visayas, Southern and Northern
Luzon are given the responsibility to direct and to supervise the conduct of
integrated anti-criminality, internal security, counter- terrorism operations, to
promote inter-operability with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and to
provide a system to promote regional socio-economic development.
7. There are 23 National Support Units of the PNP. Eleven (11) of which are
administrative while twelve (12) are operational in nature. The eleven
Administrative Units are as follows:
 Logistics Support Service (LSS).
 Information Technology Management Service (ITMS).
 Finance Service (FS).
 Health Service (HS)..
 Communications and Electronics Service (CES).
 Chaplain Service (CHS).
  Legal Service (LS).
 Headquarters Support Service (HSS).
 Engineering Service( ES).
 Training Service (TS). and
 PNP Retirement and Benefits Administration Service (PRBS).

The twelve (12) operational support units and their respective functions are as
follows:

 Maritime Group (MG). This group is responsible to perform all police

functions over Philippine Territorial waters, lakes, and rivers along coastal
areas to include ports and harbors and small islands for the security and the
sustainability development of the maritime environment.
 Intelligence Group (IG). This group serves as the intelligence and counter-
intelligence operating unit of the PNP.
 Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG). This group provides
security to government vital installations, government officials, visiting
dignitaries and private individuals authorized to be given protection.
 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). This group
monitors, investigates, prosecutes all crimes involving economic sabotage,
and other crimes of such magnitude and extent as to indicate their commission
by highly placed or professional criminal syndicates and organizations. It also
conducts organized- crime –control, all major cases involving violations of
the revised penal Code, violators of SPECIAL LAWS assigned to them such
as Anti-hijacking, Anti-Carnapping and Cyber crimes among others and
atrocities committed by Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)/New
People’s Army (NPA)/National Democratic Front (NDF).
 Special Action Force (SAF). This group is a mobile strike force or a reaction
unit to augment regional , provincial, municipal and city police force for civil
disturbance control, internal security operations, hostage-taking rescue
operations, search and rescue in times of natural calamities, disasters and
national emergencies and other special police operations such as ant-
hijacking, anti-terrorism, explosives and ordnance disposal. On a special note,
the PNP Air Unit is placed under the supervision of SAF.
 Aviation Security Group (AVEGROUP). This group provides security to
all airports throughout the country.
 Highway Patrol Group (HPG). This group enforces the traffic laws and
regulations, promote safety along the highways, enhances traffic safety
consciousness through inter- agency cooperation concerning Police Traffic
Safety Engineering, Traffic Safety Education and Traffic Law enforcement
 functions and develops reforms in the crime prevention aspect against all
forms of lawlessness committed along National Highway involving the use of
motor vehicles.
 Police-Community Relations Group (PCRG). This group undertakes and
orchestrates Police Community Relations program and activities in
partnership with concerned government agencies, the community, and
volunteer organizations in order to prevent crime and attain a safe and
peaceful environment.
 Civil Security Group (CSG). This group regulates business operations and
activities of all organized private detectives, watchmen, security
guards/agencies and company guard forces. It also supervises the licensing
and registration of firearms and explosives.
 Crime Laboratory (CL). This group provides scientific and technical,
investigative aide and support to the PNP and other investigative agencies. It
also provides crime laboratory examination, evaluation and identification of
physical evidence gathered at the crime scene with primary emphasis on
medical, biological and physical nature.
 PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG). This Group serves as the
primary unit of the PNP in addressing kidnapping menace in the country and
in handling hostage situations. And
 PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP- ACG). This Group is responsible for
the implementation of pertinent laws on cybercrimes and anti-cybercrime
campaigns of the PNP.
8. For the main PNP operating units, there are seventeen (17) Police Regional
Offices nationwide which correspond to the Regional subdivisions of the
country. Directly under the Police Regional Offices are seventeen (17)
Regional Public Safety Battalions (RPSB), eighty (80) Police Provincial
Offices which correspond to the number of Provinces in the country and
twenty (20) City Police Offices (CPOs) in highly urbanized and independent
cities , which are equivalent to a Provincial Police Office.

The Police Provincial Offices have their respective Provincial Public Safety
Companies (PPSC) which is utilized primarily for internal security operations (ISO).
The number of platoons in a Provincial Public Safety Company is dependent on the
existing peace and order situation in the province concerned.
PNP Ranks AFP Ranks

Police Commissioned Officers Commissioned Offic

Director General General

Deputy Director General Lieutenant General

Director Major General

Chief Superintendent Brigadier General

Senior Superintendent Colonel

Superintendent Lieutenant Colonel

Chief Inspector Major

Senior Inspector Captain

Inspector 1st and 2nd Lieutenan

Police Non-Commissioned Officers Non-Commissioned

Senior Police Officer IV Master Sergeant

Senior Police Officer III Technical Sergeant

Senior Police Officer II Staff Sergeant

Senior Police Officer I Sergeant

Police Officer III Corporal

Police Officer II Private First Class

Police Officer I Private

Finally, a total of 1,766 Police Stations are established nationwide and they are
categorized as follows: 90 Component City Police Stations and 1,507 Municipal
Police Stations under the Police Provincial Offices, 131 Police Stations under the
City Police Offices, and 38 Police Stations/City Police Stations in the National
Capital Regional Police Office which serve as the main operating arms of the PNP
for the anti-criminality campaign.
III. THE PNP RANK CLASSIFICATIONS:
The PNP also has a significant feature in line of its rank classifications. It adopts a
different structure for purposes of attaining a more efficient administration,
supervision, and control as compared to the Armed Forces.

These distinct considerations serve as bases for comparison between the ranks of the
PNP and ranks of AFP as presented in the table.
ORGANIZATIONS
IV. THE PNP LINKAGES WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
Domestically, the PNP is linked with the other law enforcement agencies through
the National Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (NALECC). This body
convenes regularly to foster cooperation and coordination among all law
enforcement agencies in the country.

It also supports several law enforcement agencies like the Philippine Center for
Transnational Crimes (PCTC) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

It is also linked with the International Enforcement Community thru the INTERPOL,
with the head of the PCTC as the Secretariat, and the Chief PNP as the Chief of the
National Central Bureau and a member of the ASEAN Chiefs of Police or
ASEANPOL, and a partner of the United Nations Center for International Crime
Prevention (UNCICP).
V. THE PNP RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AFP
The PNP and AFP complement each other on their pursuit to suppress insurgency,
and other serious threats to national security and in times of national emergency
prescribed pursuant to Section 12 of Republic Act 8551.

Consequently there are also governing relationships between them as follows:

1. The PNP enforces laws and ordinances and performs statutory functions while
the AFP exercises primary responsibility on matters involving suppression of
insurgency and other serious threats to national security.
2. The PNP provides assistance to the AFP in insurgency – affected areas while
the AFP is also responsible for the integrated territorial defense system.
3. The PNP assists the AFP for the dispositive action on arrested, captured or
surrendered insurgent within the prescribed reglementary period.
4. The PNP provides assistance to the AFP in the arrest of suspected insurgents
with standing warrants of arrest, and
5. The PNP and the AFP maintain close intelligence coordination and exchanges
and share each other’s accomplishments of their respective mission and
functions.