Tight screening sought

The Philippine National Police should implement a thorough background check on police applicants to make sure that only morally fit and intellectually qualified gets hired, a top police official said.

Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), said the failure to conduct background investigation on would-be policemen is among the reasons why some of them become rogue police officers.

Gillamac said that when he was assigned at the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, they do not conduct character and background investigation on police applicants due to the lack of resources.

He also said that even if it is costly, he will push for a thorough character and background check, aside from the IQ (intelligence quotient) and EQ (emotional quotient) tests.

Two police officers from CPPO were found positive of drug use during a random test at the CPPO last July 26. They were among the police officers who underwent Individual Performance Seminar in their campaign against illegal drugs.

The two policemen will be charged with grave misconduct as recommended in a memorandum issued by the National Police Commission.

Gillamac said that he already forwarded the result of the drug test to PRO-7 which will be used in the pre-charge evaluation of the case.

Gillamac is calling on all other police officers not to use illegal drugs.

“It can ruin not only their family, but also the image of the police in the eyes of the public,” Gillamac said.

Meanwhile, Gillamac announced that he will stop the implementation of the night watch operation which would require at least 50 policemen to conduct random checkpoints once a week.

Instead of the night watch operation, he will implement a marksmanship program which was started by his predecessor, Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, to improve the shooting skills of his men. /Correspondent Christine Emily L. Pantaleon