Thousands flunk cop exam

Nobody ever said getting a police badge would be easy.

Of the 36,722 examinees who took the National Police Commission (Napolcom) entrance and promotional examinations last April 24, only 9,974, or 27.16 percent, passed based on results released yesterday.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes, who is also chairman of Napolcom, said this was the second lowest police examination result posted since the implementation of the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act.

In the entrance tests, a requirement for initial appointment to the rank of Police Officer 1 (PO1), only 2,628 (14.56 percent) out of 18,044 examinees received passing marks.

On the other hand, 18,678 examinees who took the promotional test, which is needed to be elevated to the next rank, only 7,346 (39.33 percent) passed.

Napolcom said 4,217 passed the Police Officer exam; 2,964 passed the Senior Police Office exam; 134 passed the Inspector exam; and only 31 passed the Superintendent exam.

Despite the poor passing percentage, Reyes still looked at the bright side, saying it was actually a good indication of the better recruitment and promotion system in the PNP.

"The relatively low passing rate in both exams may be attributed to the Commission’s continuous upgrading of standards in its police examinations in line with its sustained effort to professionalize the PNP," he said.

The passing percentage rate in the entrance test is the second lowest recorded by the Commission since the implementation of Republic Act 8551, or the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998.

The lowest passing percentage was 10.69 percent, posted in November 1999.

Napolcom vice chairperson and executive officer Imelda Roces said the list of successful examinees has been posted at the Napolcom central office in Makati City and can also be accessed on the Napolcom website.

Roces said individual results and ratings will soon be officially sent to examinees through registered mail.

Verification of test results, she noted, will be entertained by the Napolcom central office and its regional offices nationwide starting July 1.

Roces said the low passing percentage showed that many of the applicants were unqualified.

She stressed, however, that this also means that the exam was indeed tough and would not allow just anyone to enter the police organization or get promoted.

"This goes to show that we are serious in professionalizing our PNP. The test is tough and those who are not worthy or are not yet worthy cannot join the PNP," she said.

Roces said those who failed may opt for a retake in October. She noted, however, that the exams are always upgraded and remade to conform with the new laws and new applications.