Ambassador Kenney’s Remarks at the Award Ceremony for the Completion of Tier Two Model Police Station Development Program, Camp Crame, Quezon City, January 22, 2009

January 22, 2009

Ambassador Kristie Kenney is seated with from left to right General Hadji Sukarno Ikbala, Police Director-General Jesus Versoza and New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Andrew Matheson. Behind them stand the awardees of the Model Police Station Deve

Thank you and please be seated.  Police Director-General Jesus Versoza, the head of the Philippine National Police, General Ikbala, my good friend and colleague Ambassador Matheson from the New Zealand, friends from the law enforcement community of New Zealand, the United States and other partners, men and women of the Philippine National Police, both those in uniform and the many civilians who support the work you do, magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat, a pleasant good morning to all of you.

It is a great honor to stand and talk before a strong representation of the Philippine National Police and also to be partners with New Zealand and you as we face the challenges of today.  Today’s law enforcement is both global and local.  It’s global in the scope of the challenges you face -- the threats of terrorism, trafficking in persons, international narcotics smuggling, weapons smuggling -- and, yet, it is very local -- in the service you provide to the communities where you live and work.  These services include not only big international crime, but very local issues such as traffic, domestic problems, keeping the peace in communities throughout the Philippines, and making citizens feel confident that their PNP is their protector and their defender.

The Philippine National Police has launched, to meet these challenges, a very impressive transformation program.  The model police stations are a very important part of that program.  It is truly appropriate that these model police stations address both the big international criminal issues as well as the very local issues.  They must address the issue of keeping peace, while also protecting human rights -- of making sure that citizens, both those who are innocent and guilty, have the same right to trial, that they know when they are arrested, they will be fairly treated and be given a fair and honest hearing.  Citizens also know that they will be arrested if they commit crimes and that those crime scenes will be investigated, looked into and no stone will be left unturned.  In the words of my new President, you will work to build rather than destroy.

You have a great opportunity to move our citizens forward, to make our countries peaceful, prosperous, places where every citizen can realize their dreams and can live a life of peace with their families and neighbors.  The PNP is really at the forefront of that effort -- of making sure that we protect those who are building a better life and that we apprehend and prosecute those who would destroy lives and dreams.

For us, it’s a great privilege and a responsibility to work together as national partners.  Here, in the Philippines, we have a tremendous relationship with law enforcement.  I believe you are doing wonderful things throughout this country and I commend you, but I also call on you to get even better -- to find the best and most effective ways to defend and protect citizens.

We saw a great example of community policing this week in Washington, DC.  American just swore in a new president.  American law enforcement had the challenge of protecting the millions of people who came to my hometown to watch that inaugural.  Citizens from all over the world, who felt, quite justifiably, they had the right to stand outside in freezing temperatures to watch a democratic transition.  But, it was the law enforcement community who helped make that event possible, who made it possible to see to the safety of all citizens.  That put police officers on every corner to help give directions, to get citizens where they needed to go, and to help those who had difficulties whether they were a lost citizen from another country looking to hear the speech or someone experiencing health problems.  I think that’s a great example of our police today, police make possible our democracies.

I commend and congratulate all of you, not just the representatives of the police stations that we have had the pleasure of visiting throughout this country who have transformed themselves into model police stations, but all the rest of the members of the law enforcement community, civilian and uniform, for your commitment to protect, your commitment to protect to the highest standard every citizen, and your commitment to keep looking for ways to make this country the peaceful and prosperous place that it is, and will be even more so in the future.  You may count on the friendship of the United States and colleagues from around the world such as our good friends from New Zealand.  We are a global world, our destiny’s is shared, and we move forward together in peace. 

Mabuhay kayong lahat.  Congratulations to all of you!