Sterner background check on applicants

CEBU, Philippines - Applicants of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be subjected to a more thorough background check, a preemptive measure on the part of the PNP against personnel with questionable character.

“Hinigpitan lang sa training process pa lang para maiwasan ang pagkuha ng personnel na hindi nakakatulong sa PNP organization and one is to give emphasis sa background investigation,” said Police Regional Office-7 Director Danilo Constantino said in a phone interview with The Freeman.

Aside from a more thorough background investigation, applicants would also need to undergo neuropsychiatric, medical and physical examinations.

“We are now after of the quality and not the quantity that’s why last year we have three recruitment schedules kasi hindi narrating ng quota ang 600 personnel,” Constantino said.

He said it is important that an applicant possesses strong values that can help him/her withstand negative influences in the real world.

Training school can instill idealism among the recruits, Constantino said, but the decisions they make in the field when they do their real work would all be anchored on their individual personal and professional judgments.

“Pwede kasing ma-influence ng ibang kasamahan at kaibigan with derogatory records (They can be influenced by colleagues who have derogatory records),” Constantino said.

Constantino said the PNP has regular in-service trainings and seminars on values formation and continuing education to keep policemen reminded of their responsibilities as public servants, but activities like these can only go so much.

“Pero hindi talaga maiiwasan na may makagagawa ng mali at nadadamay ang organisasyon  (Once a cop commits a  wrong doing,  it is  inevitable  that the act will reflect on the organization),” he said.

A recent example of a cop gone bad was PO2 Ronilo Manuel who, together with another suspect, Benito Andres, was pointed to by one Rochel Cueco, as the ones who robbed her at a gunpoint at R. Landon Street in Cebu City. The suspects were reportedly on board a motorcycle during the robbery and allegedly stole from Cueco a mobile phone and cash worth P4,000.

A case for robbery has been filed against Manuel and Andres. —/JMO (FREEMAN)