(File photo courtesy of PNP)
MANILA – Three aspiring police officers lost their chance to join the force for submitting fake swab test results in the ongoing recruitment of the Police Regional Office- Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said on Tuesday.
“I have already issued an order to delist the names of all the applicants who deliberately submitted fake RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) tests in PRO-BAR. This order extends to other PROs and PNP units to do the same. We will not give a second chance for this year’s recruitment to those who would dare bastardize our recruitment process,” Eleazar said in a statement.
The three applicants, who are set to face criminal charges, were among 66 applicants who were probed over the incident.
Meanwhile, nine applicants were already cleared while the remaining 54 are still undergoing investigation.
Eleazar said this was discovered when a team led by Col. Nora Camarao, head of the PNP Recruitment and Selection Service Unit, went to the PRO-BAR to oversee the ongoing recruitment following reports of irregularities.
“Kasi kung papayagan natin na palusutin ang mga ito, it will send a very wrong message na okay lang ang kanilang ginawa. For all we know, kapag nakapasok ang mga ito ay baka ito yung mga pulis na magtatanim lang nang ebidensya dahil ngayon pa nga lang may kalokohan ng ginawa (Because if we allow them to get through, it will send the wrong message that what they did is okay. For all we know, if they get into the service they will be the ones who might plant evidence just like misdeed now),” he added.
It was reported that some applicants admitted that they did not undergo swab test but still submitted the fake document which they bought for only PHP500.
On the other hand, some of the applicants were subjected to a swab test but were unaware that the RT-PCR results they submitted are fake.
“I have already instructed that applicants who intentionally submitted fake RT-PCR results will not only be disqualified but also prosecuted. This is what we are saying that those who enter the PNP must be carefully screened because if they have already committed a mischievous act, it will surely be a headache for the PNP when they become police officers. For those applicants who do not know that they have been swindled, they were advised to undergo another swab test and submit the result as soon as possible,” he added.
Eleazar also directed the PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) to conduct operations against those involved in producing and selling fake RT-PCR in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The aggressive reform in the PNP recruitment system is a long-term internal cleansing measure initiated by Eleazar under his Intensified Cleanliness Policy when he assumed as the country's top cop in May.
He said the anomalous recruitment system is one of the major roots of the culture of abuse and wrongdoings among a few members of the PNP who entered the police service in irregular ways.
“Our recruitment process under CORES (Comprehensive Online Recruitment Encrypting System) works on a concept of honesty, integrity and trust on the system. If you cannot respect our recruitment process, then you have no place in our organization,” said Eleazar.
The CORES uses a QR code system for all PNP applicants to ensure that the entry of those who want to be policemen would be purely based on qualifications.
The PNP is looking to recruit more than 17,000 policemen this year. (PNA)
