POLICE personnel were reminded to remain apolitical even in their social media posts and refrain from campaigning for or against any political aspirant.
The reminder was given by Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Police General Guillermo Eleazar as he also urged them to avail of the extended voter registration so that they may exercise their right to suffrage.
“While I am encouraging all police personnel to exercise their right to suffrage as citizens, they must remain apolitical in carrying out their mandate as members of the PNP,” PGen. Eleazar said.
He also cautioned them from expressing their political leanings on social media as such would go against the organization’s non-partisan stance in politics.
“I am reminding all police personnel to be mindful of what they post on their social networking accounts and refrain from showing support for or campaigning against local or national political aspirants,” the PNP Chief said.
“These may be personal accounts maintained by PNP personnel but anything posted in them would ultimately reflect on the organization and put to question our apolitical stance,” he explained.
He reminded police personnel of the existing PNP Memorandum Circular containing the Guidelines and Procedures on Social Media Content, Post and Engagement Utilizing Social Media Accounts and Individual Accounts of PNP Personnel.
The circular contains a prohibition on social media posts that would be inimical to the interest of the PNP as an organization and prescribes administrative sanctions on violators of the ban.
“I will repeat my warning to police personnel not to get involved in politics. We should always be on the side of the people and the country, not on the side of personalities, politicians or political parties,” PGen. Eleazar stressed.