AN honest-to-goodness stoppage of the ‘Padrino System’ in the Philippine National Police (PNP) recruitment process is now in place to ensure that they will only get the best, the brightest and the most disciplined policemen in the country, PNP chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos assured the country yesterday.

The ‘nameless and faceless’ QR Code System also effectively stops attempts by some personalities to seek the entry of even unqualified PNP recruits to the chagrin of the PNP leadership, the Journal Group learned.

Prior to the modern system, police recruitment in the country specifically in Mindanao has been marred by charges of bribery and corruption and even triggered the investigation of ranking police officials and their recruitment officers in the Southern Philippines who were accused of allowing recruits with fraudulent academic records or those who have failed the required neuro-psychiatric test to enter the force in exchange for a huge amount of money.

There were reports in the past that some corrupt officials were paid P1 million by some politicians so that at least three of their relatives who are unqualified may enter the force since they don’t have the academic background and failed the NP test can become a PNP personnel. The money shelled out by the politicians is peanuts since their relatives who bought their way into the PNP would eventually become their bodyguards or chiefs of police in their villages or small municipalities.

Carlos has concurred with his predecessor-turned 2022 senatorial candidate Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar that he won’t allow the return of the so-called ‘padrino system’ in the PNP recruitment process .

According to the top cop, the ‘nameless and faceless’ QR Code system has effectively eliminated possible opportunities for undue third party intervention in the recruitment process.

“We will give priority to the applicants who shall pass the physical and psychological exams. Everything will be based on their capability,” Carlos emphasized.

Under this new system, each applicant will be given an assigned QR code so they can monitor the progress of their application and the results of their tests. The evaluation will be based on their achievements and credentials.

Carlos stressed that they will not tolerate any intervention to influence the application of an applicant.

“If there are reports such as this, then the police officer will be subjected to an investigation by the internal Affairs Service,” he said.

Eleazar earlier pushed for the continuity of their ‘faceless, nameless’ recruitment process in the police force to prevent the entry of abusive applicants who don’t deserve a single minute to be issued a gun and wear a badge and uniform.

According to the Partido Reporma senatorial candidate of another former PNP chief-turned Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ M. Lacson who is gunning for the 2022 presidency, the recruitment system in the PNP must continuously be shielded from “palakasan” or “padrino system” to prevent the entry of unqualified applicants into the police service.

He also expressed confidence that Carlos is on the right track in ensuring the continuity of reforms particularly when it comes to recruitment and fiscal reforms which they have started in the 222,000-strong police force since the start of the Duterte administration

Eleazar issued the statement in the wake of the death of ex-cop Jonel Nuezca inside the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City last Tuesday.

Nuezca, who was convicted of double murder for killing his neighbor Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony over a “boga” (improvised cannon) incident in Tarlac on December 20, 2020, collapsed and later died at the NBP Hospital.

“Actually iyong nangyari kay Nuezca, unang-una iniisip natin, ito ba from the very start is dapat ba siyang naging pulis?” he said.

Eleazar said that the ‘padrino’ system should be removed from the culture of the PNP recruitment to avoid the entry of undeserving candidates who have powerful connections, and make room for qualified applicants regardless of their status in life.

“Kaya nga nirereview natin kahit mahabang proseso ito, ang ating recruitment, ang pagprocess. Simula pa lamang ay dapat walang palakasan, walang padrino system,” he stressed.

When he was the director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in Metro Manila in 2019, Eleazar introduced the QR Code System in the police recruitment process, a nameless and faceless system of processing applications of police applicants.

Under the QR Code system, each candidate is only assigned with a tracking number or QR code to monitor their performance during the physical examination, neuro-psychiatric test, and other processes.

“Eventually kapag nasa loob na sila ng serbisyo, itutuloy na natin ‘yong mga sistema on how to check not only the physical but also the mental and emotional situation of our police personnel,” Eleazar said.

Further, the retired general said disciplinary measures within the police organization should also be strengthened to ensure that cops who will commit violations will be punished to the full extent of the law.

“Minsan kasi ang mga pulis gumagawa ng kalokohan pero alam nila na pwedeng malusutan. Pero kung palalakasin natin ang discipline like ang function ng Internal Affairs Service at mismong implementasyon, tingin ko ay mababawasan ang problema kagaya noong nangyari kay Nuezca,” he said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon