The Philippine National Police (PNP) has started to replicate a ‘no human contact’ policy in the recruitment of new policemen as part of the effort to prevent “padrino” system in the recruitment system.
PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the success of the program in preventing some erring personnel in the recruitment process to alter the result of medical and neuro-psychiatric examinations in the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has inspired him to implement the same program to other regions.
“We are now launching it in Region 10 and other regions in order to prevent anomalies in the past that even those who would fail the examinations would still be recruited due to padrinos who would find ways to alter the results of the documents and examination results,” said Albayalde.
He is referring to the Robust, Neuro-Psychiatric, Medical and Dental System (RONMEDDS) which was implemented at the NCRPO in August last year.
RONMEDDS uses bar coding and likewise consolidate in one database all the processes conducted for the applicants who want to join the police force.
But the applicant’s identity is anonymous and shall only be recognized through a unique bar code while undergoing recruitment processes. The processes include measurement of height and weight, interviews, medical and dental exams up to the neuro-psychiatric and agility tests.
Part of the reform program through RONMEDDS is that it serves as a database wherein those who were already rejected in the past will not be able to reapply again in all the regions.
“Through this, there is no way that a disqualified police recruit would find a padrino to alter the results of his examinations,” said Albayalde.
The PNP has been initiating reforms to ensure that those with bad records and those who are not really qualified will not be able to enter the police force through strict recruitment process.
One of the major problems in the PNP is that most of those who were involved in illegal activities are new recruits. (Aaron Recuenco)