CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija -- A total of 149 policemen, including a woman, from various stations in Nueva Ecija on Monday pledged to stop smoking and promote public health in ceremony at the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO) ground here.
Supt. Angel Bondoc, Deputy Provincial Director for Operations (DPDO), administered the oath of smoking cessation, noting consequences of violations.
Under the program, Bondoc said no space shall be designated for smoking within the police camps in the province.
"Take note, no designated smoking area shall be established in all PNP (Philippine National Police) buildings and premises," Bondoc told the policemen.
The rule, which covers both the non-uniformed personnel (NUP) and policemen, provides that first time offenders shall be required to watch a 10-minute video that features the harmful effects of smoking.
Second time offenders shall be slapped with charges in accordance with Republic Act 9211 (Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003) and Republic Act 8749 (Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999), and other rules and regulations, he added.
Additionally, administrative charges in accordance with Napolcom Memorandum Circular 2016-02 and the Internal Affairs Service of the PNP, and the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, shall be imposed on any police personnel who will be caught smoking inside the camp.
It is without prejudice to any possible criminal charges, Bondoc stressed.
Violation of this rule by any personnel or staff of camp concessionaires shall be ground for non-renewal of the contract with the PNP, he added.
The policemen ceremonially broke cigars and put them on a trash can before signing a huge pledge of commitment.
Senior Supt. Eliseo Tanding, Nueva Ecija police director, said it will not be impossible for anyone to quit smoking, citing his own story.
Tanding said he started smoking when he was in high school but managed to stop without pains when he was police chief inspector in 1996.
He said he has no problem with smokers but everyone has to abide by the law. (PNA)
