On February 16, 2009, International Justice Mission staff and top officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP) signed a Memorandum of Agreement, formalizing an educational partnership that will enable both groups to better combat the trafficking and sexual abuse of women and children in the Philippines.
The agreement permits International Justice Mission to officially train Philippine National Police personnel in a variety of specialized topics, including law enforcement ethics, criminal investigations, interviewing victims and witnesses, and the Philippines’ laws related to women and children.Recognizing a relationship that has enabled the two groups to work together effectively in the past, the agreement enables International Justice Mission to officially train Philippine National Police personnel in a variety of specialized topics, including law enforcement ethics, criminal investigations, interviewing victims and witnesses, and the Philippines’ laws related to women and children.
The Philippine National Police will assign to trainings the personnel who regularly deal with trafficking and sexual violence. Additionally, the PNP will incorporate IJM’s material into its wider training curriculum, and will work with IJM to develop Philippine National Police instructors who will effectively teach these topics in the future.
Although IJM has already been active in conducting Philippine National Police training seminars, the agreement makes IJM’s curriculum an accredited part of the officers’ educational structure.
The partnership will facilitate IJM’s efforts to both assist victims of trafficking and sexual violence, and develop the capacity of the Philippine National Police to respond to trafficking cases.
“This training goes further than our past association with the Philippine National Police by adding collaborations for curriculum and instructor development that will make the training program more effective and sustainable,” notes IJM Cebu Director Andrey Sawchenko.
The Philippine National Police, led by Director General Jesus Verzosa, is the primary agency responsible for law enforcement services throughout the Philippines. In light of the new agreement, IJM plans to collaborate with the Philippine National Police on six trainings in Metro Manila and 12 in Cebu in 2009.
From left to right, Police Deputy Director General Geary Barias, IJM Cebu Director Andrey Sawchenko and IJM Manila Director Carmela Andal-Castro sign the Memorandum of Agreement.
