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The Philippine National Police (PNP) can now rightfully claim legal
ownership of about 1,160 hectares of land formerly registered as
properties of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo
Puno and National police chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr.
signed Friday a memorandum of agreement with Defense Secretary
Gilbert Teodoro and Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen.
Cardozo Luna that formalized the transfer of 286 parcels of military
lands to the National police force.
The properties include the 33-hectare Camp Crame,
the National police headquarters, which has since been a property of
the military when the police force was still the constabulary branch
of the Armed Forces.
Other military properties transferred to the
National police are Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City; the
National Capital Region Police Office property also in Taguig; and
Camp Castañeda in
Silang, Cavite, the home of the Philippine National Police Academy.
The parcels of land are situated in different
locations, mostly used as police regional or provincial offices and
training facilities. Prior to the establishment of the
National police in 1991, the properties belonged
to the defunct Philippine constabulary.
At present, there are about 3,400 hectares of
government-owned lands that are being used jointly by the police and
the military.
Puno underscored the necessity for the National
police to acquire lawful ownership of the properties for the purpose
of infrastructure development, like on-base housing for police
personnel.
”The PNP on-base housing which we have funds
and great need for, will now be possible. Before, we cannot do
housing programs within these properties as authorized by the
President [Gloria Arroyo] because we are not in a position to turn
over titles and take possession of [the] property,” Puno
explained.
Razon welcomed the military’s transfer of the
properties to the National police.
”We had been working to officially acquire
these facilities to implement our own program in the PNP,” he
said.
-- Maricel V. Cruz
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