MANILA — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has rejected the suggestion of outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas to make police clearance mandatory in various transactions.
In a letter addressed to Sinas dated May 4, Tuesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said "while good-intentioned," integrating the National Police Clearance System (NPCS) in their list of requirements would only "do more harm than good."
"In fact, a rapid survey conducted by DOLE among stakeholders indicated that more than 94% of workers and employers are opposed to making the National Police Clearance a requirement for DOLE transactions," Bello said.
Bello added making police clearance a requisite will only cause red tape and may even be violative of some provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines.
"[T]here is no legal basis in requiring DOLE's clientele to secure NPC," he said.
Last March, Sinas sought DOLE's support for the NPCS by making it a requirement in various transactions.
But Bello made clear in his reply that while DOLE supports PNP in "building a safer place for Filipinos," he said it can be done "without adding burden" to the public."
—Reports from Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News
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