In PNP recruitment process

FORMER Philippine National Police (PNP) chief-turned 2022 senatorial candidate Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar yesterday 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 the “palakasan” or “padrino system” to prevent the entry of unqualified applicants into the police service.

Eleazar also expressed confidence that his successor, General Dionardo B. 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

The former top cop 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 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.

Eleazar is busy touring different parts of the country with Lacson and his running mate, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III to inform the public of their platforms and noble programs once elected.