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MANILA, Philippine – Vertically challenged individuals may soon be able to walk tall in the ranks of the Philippine National Police.
The PNP on Tuesday said it supported a proposal by Sen. Gregorio Honasan to scrap the height requirement for policemen, which he deemed a discriminatory practice.
“That is a welcome development. We do not discriminate against our countrymen who are lacking in height,” said Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr., PNP spokesperson and director of the Community Relations Group.
Under the law, male policemen must be at least 1.62 meters tall, or just under 5 feet 4 inches, while female officers must be at least 1.57 meters tall, or almost 5’2”.
The law incidentally also states that an officer’s weight may not vary five kilograms more or less from the standard weight corresponding to their height, age and sex.
Honasan said the height requirement must be done away with on the principle that everyone has an equal right to be employed without prejudice to anything not having to do with merit or the ability to perform the job.
In an interview with reporters, Cruz seconded Honasan, saying that height had nothing to do with a police officer’s ability to perform his or her duties. DJ Yap