Republic Act No.

8551
February 17, 1998

The 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:
Republic Act No. 8551
February 17, 1998
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:
 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.
 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.
 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.
 The Directorate for Logistics (DL). The director administers and manages material
resources needed for the PNP operations.
 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.
 The Directorate for Comptrollership (DC). The director administers and manages the
fiscal financial resources.
 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.
Republic Act No. 8551
February 17, 1998
The Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) . The director
coordinates. Controls and supervises all investigation activities.
 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.
Republic Act No. 8551
February 17, 1998
 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),
Republic Act No. 8551
February 17, 1998
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.
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.
PNP Ranks AFP Ranks
Police Commissioned Officers Commissioned Office
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 Lieutenant
Police Non-Commissioned Officers Non-Commissioned Officers
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
Republic Act No. 8551
February 17, 1998
IV. THE PNP LINKAGES WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS
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:
9. 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.
10. The PNP provides assistance to the AFP in insurgency – affected areas while the AFP is
also responsible for the integrated territorial defense system.
11. The PNP assists the AFP for the dispositive action on arrested, captured or surrendered
insurgent within the prescribed reglementary period.
12. The PNP provides assistance to the AFP in the arrest of suspected insurgents with
standing warrants of arrest, and
13. The PNP and the AFP maintain close intelligence coordination and exchanges and share
each other’s accomplishments of their respective mission and functions.
____________________
The information above was provided by the Department of the Interior and Local Government,
and by the Philippine National Police.