PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. (Photo courtesy of PNP)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said it continues to enforce policing reforms as part of efforts to uphold the rule of law in the country.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. made this remark as he welcomed the Philippines' improved ranking in this year's World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, ranking 97th out of 140 countries or five notches higher from last year's 102nd rank.
“The PNP takes pride in its own initiatives at reforming police systems and procedures to cope with the ever-changing demand for better police service to the communities. Law enforcement to become effective must be founded on respect for human rights and the rule of law,” Azurin said in a statement.
He said the Philippines’ improvement in “order and security” parameters as noted by the WJP is a fair statement and objective acknowledgment of the initiatives of the national institution in upholding the rule of law in its enforcement, prosecution, judiciary, corrections, and community pillars of the criminal justice system.
"I sincerely thank all police officers and other stakeholders who have worked diligently to achieve this milestone for our country, and urged everyone to continually perform their sworn duties with dedication and commitment," Azurin said.
While 85 out of 140 countries saw a decline in the rule of law index as stated by the organization, the Philippines is among a few countries that surpassed its own previous ranking in the February to June 2022 survey of the organization conducted among 154,000 households and 3,600 legal practitioners.
The rule of law index is measured through eight parameters -- constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice and criminal justice.
The WJP is an independent and multidisciplinary organization working to create knowledge, build awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law worldwide. (PNA)
