By INNABUYOG-GABRIELA

The Philippine National Police, through the Department of Interior and Local Government, has the nerve to ask for a bigger fund when there are more important things to prioritize. We from INNABUYOG-GABRIELA believe that Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno is overreacting when he prodded the House of Representatives to approve the P1.429 billion supplemental budget which Malacañang itself proposed.

The police force just might get another big chunk of the budget while social services remain dismal and inaccessible to the people.

Malacañang has shown inanity in the allocation of funds. The current dengue outbreak is an example. The budget can be maximized to educate our communities about proper health habits, hold community sanitation programs or treat dengue patients.

According to Puno, the supplemental budget will be handy when the PNP takes a more active role in the anti-insurgency campaign, more particularly by purchasing 5000 armaments and 500 police cars. We interpret this as a preparation to harass more of our loved ones, put under surveillance more of our friends and silence more of our children.

The people do not need police cars or guns. The people have more immediate needs such as health services or job opportunities. To allot such a big amount to a war that leaves our children killed as collateral damage will only worsen the ire of the people. #