PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. said former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) combatants, who will be recruited into the PNP, will undergo tough training to ensure they are professionals that deserve to join the police force.

“We already have 102 former MNLF and MILF members who have taken their oath of office. In line with that, they went through the normal recruitment process.

We’ve done it through our QR codes to ensure there will be no favoritism and no special treatment to anybody,” the top cop told the Journal Group.

Gen. Acorda also said that they are also facing challenges and restrictions in recruiting at least 5,000 former MNLF and MILF to the national police force.

“There are some restrictions. First is the budget, 2nd is the number of the applicants to be screened,” he said.

Gen. Acorda said there are 400 former combatants out of some 1,000 who will take their oath of office. However, he said that only 102 out of the 400 passed a rigid neuro-psychiatric Test.

“Nevertheless, our recruitment process out there is continuing. Our cycle of recruitment is continuing and if there are applicants who will be able to pass our stringent qualification standards, they will be able to form part of the remaining 298 quota,” Gen. Acorda said.

The PNP chief said they are also subjecting the MNLF and MILF applicants to a strict ‘Complete Background Investigation’ amid fears that anybody among them can work as ‘bodyguards’ of some local politicians.

In the past, many violent incidents in Mindanao attributed to once very powerful and influential politicians like the Ampatuans have been attributed to local policemen and military personnel under the payroll of these local government officials.

“I do hope that it won’t happen. We also have those fears but we already have commitment from BARM officials na hindi na mangyayari yun,” Gen. Acorda said.

Last month, 102 former MNLF and MILF members were commissioned as Patrolmen/Patrolwomen of the PNP after undergoing a very tight screening.

The rigid qualifying examinations and physical and psychological tests ensured that the 102 composed of 94 males and eight females are fit to serve the organization.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ C. Abalos Jr. described the oathtaking of the 102 as a ‘landmark event.’

The 102 former MNLF and MILF regulars took their oath of office as new Patrolmen and Patrolwomen before PNP Deputy Chief for Administration Lieutenant General Rhodel O. Sermonia and Sec. Abalos.

The mass oathtaking and turnover ceremonies of the 102 new PNP members took place at the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO BAR) in Camp Brigadier General Salipada K. Pendatun in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte.

In his speech during the event, Sec. Abalos encouraged the newly-minted police officers to be champions of good governance and exemplars of bravery and responsibility.

The significant event was described as the culmination of a journey that began on April 7, 2022, with a groundbreaking agreement between the BARMM government and the National Police Commission.

The agreement paved the way for eligible members of the MNLF and the MILF to take the Special Qualifying Eligibility Examination.

The examination, endorsed by NAPOLCOM Resolution No. 2022-0081, marked the entrance of distinguished members of the two former separatist groups into the PNP.

The journey continued on May 29, 2022 when 7,145 out of 11,033 former MILF and MNLF examinees successfully passed the NSQEE conducted in Cotabato and Lamitan City in Basilan.

A total of 1,249 candidates, backed by the endorsement of the Bangsamoro government, received QR codes, a cornerstone requirement for their entry into the program.

Among them, 882 were from the MILF while 367 were former MNLF members.

In the following stages of the recruitment process, 1,134 candidates were deemed fit to proceed after successfully passing assessments, including Body Mass Index (BMI) evaluation and a rigorous physical agility test that tested their endurance and commitment.

A comprehensive medical assessment followed, including psychological and psychiatric examinations, General Physical and Dental Examinations, and Drug Tests.

In a testament to their determination and dedication, a total of 102 candidates—52 former MILF members and 50 former MNLF members—passed the final screening committee’s deliberations.

Officials told the Journal Group that the rigid screening of the qualified applicants is needed since more than 5,000 of them will become peacekeepers with the rank of patrolman/patrolwoman.

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

The official also dispelled speculations that bribery happened in the recruitment of the PNP aspirants, who were certified as legitimate MILF and MNLF members.

In August last year, Napolcom relaxed some of the rules on the entry into the police force of members of the two large Muslim rebel groups.

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.