PNP moves vs. 'padrino system' in recruitment process

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has started making adjustments to its recruitment process to eradicate "padrino system" and ensure that only those qualified will be accepted to its ranks. 

At a press conference on Thursday, PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar said resources have been wasted due to the "padrino system" which he said has hounded the recruitment process in the police organization.

"Nasasayang lang ang resources ng PNP kung magre-recruit tayo ng hindi qualified, nakakapagpalusot ng hindi naman dapat maging pulis," he said during the launching of the Comprehensive Online Recruitment Encrypting System (CORES) in Camp Crame.

(The PNP is just wasting its resources by recruiting unqualified individuals, people who don't deserve to be policemen.)

Eleazar cited as example Police Corporal Moises Yango, a Quezon City policeman who was arrested in Bulacan earlier this week for robbery.

"Itong si Corporal Yango, kasama pati na rin yung mahigit na 5,000 na dismiss natin mula 2016 sa iba't ibang offenses pati na rin yung iba pang mga pulis even before 2016, 'yan ang dahilan kung bakit natin gagawin ang programa natin sa araw na ito," he said.

(Corporal Yango, as well as the 5,000 or so policemen who were dismissed since 2016 and even those dismissed before that, is the reason why we are launching this new system today.)

In his assumption speech on May 7, Eleazar underscored that the "padrino system" -- or gaining favor through family affiliation and friendship instead of merit -- has no place in the PNP, even as he admitted that it has become common practice in their recruitment process.

CORES, according to the PNP, is a "nameless and faceless recruitment process."

The PNP chief said there will be a master list of qualified applicants.

"Meron tayong online application, talagang 'yan documents ini-scan and binibigay QR code once kumpleto requirements nila. So may pangalan na sila diyan," he said.

(We have an online application, so the documents will be scanned. Once their requirements are complete, they will be given a QR code. They’ll be registered at our database.)

"Based on that nasa database natin yan so kung pepekein nila malalaman natin kung sila ba ay nasa database natin," he added.

(Based on that database, we will know if their codes are fake because they will either be in our database or not.)

Once an applicant fails, Eleazar said his QR code will be deactivated.

"Yes, tama. ‘Yun deactivated na siya pero puwede ka ma-next processing sumama ka [That's correct. It will be deactivated but he can still join the next processing]," he said.

Eleazar also remained confident that unscrupulous applicants who may buy their QR codes will be revealed.

According to Eleazar, he has instructed police officials involved in the recruitment process not to entertain people backing certain applicants.

"Sinabi natin sa kanila, ako ay nakiusap, humingi ng full cooperation at commitment nila, sabi ko nga isangkalan niyo ako kapag merong lumapit sa inyo," he said.

"They will be equipped with the commitment of the PNP leadership na
talagang tablahin kung meron man lumalapit sa atin," Eleazar added.

(I asked them to drop my name if ever someone approaches them for favor. This way they will be equipped with the commitment of the PNP leadership in case someone approaches them asking for favors.) —with Joahna Lei Casilao/KBK, GMA News