AMID the fact that they can also be assigned to any part of the country as their organization is ‘national in character,’ Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. has ordered a tight screening of PNP applicants from the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to ensure that only the best and the most qualified will join the force.

He added that in particular, he wants his screening committee to look into the age of the applicants who will be given 15 years to complete their college education as provided by the law which also gives them the right to be assigned outside of Mindanao in the near future.

Gen. Azurin referred to the MILF and MNLF combatants who are supposed to be with ages ranging from 30 and above.

“Kung 21-23-years old lang siya, papano siya naging combatant? Dapat malaman natin ano talaga ang definition ng word combatant dito kasi nga ni-relax na nating ang age, eligibility, educational attainment and others para sa mga MILF and MNLF applicants,” he explained.

Gen. Azurin said he wants the concerns to be thoroughly discussed. “We have to revisit the rules of the ad hoc committee. Isa pa, it would be unfair naman kung confined lang sila sa BARMM when the law says that the police force is national in character,” he added.

The PNP chief said that if possible, he also wants those who are really qualified to join the PNP’s regular recruitment program. “Isa pa, yung faceless/nameless recruitment process natin ay lalong dapat ma-implement dito para mabawasan yung outside influence,” he explained.

Over 7,000 members of the MILF and the MNLF passed a Special Qualifying Eligibility Examination administered by the National Police Commission last May 29.

Officials told the Journal Group that the rigid screening of the qualified applicants is needed since more than 5,000 of them will be allowed to join the force and become real peacekeepers with the rank of Patrolman/Patrolwoman from being former MILF or MNLF ‘warriors.’

Around 65 percent or 7,145 of the total 11,033 MILF and MNLF members passed the Napolcom’s SQEE which was supervised by the Professional Regulations Commission in the cities of Cotabato and Lamitan in Basilan province.

The Cabinet Secretary of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Mohd Asnin Pendatun last May 29 said the regional government was very grateful they had a high passing rate during the qualifying exam.

The official also dispelled speculations that ‘bribery’ occurred during the recruitment of the PNP aspirants who were certified as legitimate MILF and MNLF members.

Last August, the Napolcom relaxed some of the rules on the entry to the police force of members of the two large Muslim rebel groups, which signed a peace agreement with the national government.

In its Memorandum Circular No. 2022-001, the Napolcom en banc decided to waive the age, height and educational requirements for the MILF and MNLF in the integration of some of their members to the national police force.

“This is to facilitate the entry into the Philippine National Police (PNP) of qualified members within five years from the ratification of Republic Act No. 11054, also known as the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” the Napolcom said.

The age requirement for MILF and MNLF applicants, based on the memorandum, shall not be below 20 nor over 35 years of age.

For applicants belonging to a cultural community or an indigenous group, they must be at least 1.52 meters in height for male and 1.45 meters for female, provided that they secure certification of membership from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) or from the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs (MIPA).

For the educational requirement, applicants must have completed at least four years of high school studies from a secondary school under the previous four-year high school program or Junior High School under the K-12 Basic Education Curriculum, or its Alternative Learning System (ALS) Accreditation and Equivalency Program accredited by the Department of Education (DepEd) or by the Ministry of

Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE).

The Napolcom said the examinees were previously given an orientation on the guidelines for entry into the PNP as well as the requirements they need to take the NSQEE. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao government partnered with the PNP and the Napolcom in giving the orientation to the MILF and MNLF members are qualified to take the test.

BARMM Attorney General Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba previously highlighted the crucial role of the MILF and MNLF commanders in the successful entry of the applicants into the PNP, describing the recruitment process as a “historical one in the BARMM.”

According to Napolcom-BARMM Regional Director, Atty. Randy F. Babao, the entry of the MILF and MNLF members into the PNP is “a big leap in achieving a long-lasting peace in Mindanao.”

The official noted that some of the Napolcom eligibility requirements were adjusted “to adopt measures to ensure that only legitimate members of the MILF and MNLF will benefit from the special qualifying exam.”

The Napolcom-BARMM office said that a total of 5,060 successful examinees will be granted eligibility for temporary appointment as patrolman or patrolwoman of the PNP.

The decision to allow the entry of qualified MILF and MNLF members into the national police force has been cited as a realization of the Bangsamoro Organic Law or BOL which was enacted to pave the way for a lasting peace in Mindanao.

Article 11, Section 2, Paragraph 3 of the BOL stipulates that “to facilitate entry into the PNP of MILF and MNLF members from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, the age, height and educational attainment requirements may be waived by the Napolcom, subject to existing rules and regulations: Provided, That such shall be availed of within a period of five (5) years from ratification of this Organic Law: Provided, further, That the requirement of educational attainment shall be complied within fifteen (15) years from their entry: Provided, finally, That their ranks and grades shall be subject to existing laws, rules and regulations governing the PNP.”

“After three years of the transition period, we are happy that we are finally taking the first step into making this provision a reality,” Ebrahim said.

Allowing qualified MILF and MNLF members to join the PNP is seen as a major contributory factor to lasting peace in the region since they will be in-charge of policing in their communities, officials said.