Scrap PNP’s college degree requirement

The law requiring all applicants who want to join the police force to present a college diploma should be repealed to allow high school graduates or college undergraduates admission to the Philippine National Police.

Being a professional in the PNP doesn’t mean all its members should be degree holders. It means they should be dedicated to and be knowledgeable about the job.

PNP Chief Ricardo Marquez and even Sen. Grace Poe, who chaired the hearing on PNP modernization, think so.

At the moment, only college degree holders are accepted into the PNP.

At the Senate hearing on the modernization of the PNP, Marquez said allowing high school graduates who are poor but intelligent into the police force would give them the chance to pursue higher education while in the force.

Poe and Marquez are right: Why deprive idealistic and intelligent high school graduates of the chance to serve their country as policemen/women?

Most of our policemen were obviously below-average students in high school and college. Read their reports in English and weep.

Many of our rookies or new cops apparently can’t distinguish between right from wrong because they act like criminals.

I am a witness to the abusive behavior of many policemen. My public service program, “Isumbong mo kay Tulfo,” has helped aggrieved civilians file criminal and administrative complaints against them.

We at “Isumbong” have lost count of all the complaints we have received against policemen.

In contrast, I can count on the fingers of one hand complaints against members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines which doesn’t require its enlisted personnel to be college graduates.

How come there are many complaints against policemen, who are college graduates, while there are few against soldiers, the majority of whom lack education?

Why do rookies dislike patrolling the streets or directing traffic, which is part of their job description, while soldiers obey orders without question?

Here are the answers:

Policemen think that since they’re baccalaureate degree holders they should not be made to do menial jobs.

“That’s why we are called police officers—officers, meaning we are executives,” said one cop.

“I didn’t finish college only to be ordered around by others,” said another.

Why do toilets in most police stations stink? Because policemen consider it below their dignity to clean toilets.

Many years ago, I took part in an international competition which was held at the gym in Camp Crame, the PNP headquarters.

I was very embarrassed by the outrageous stink in the gym’s toilet which was used by both foreign and local participants.

On the other hand, military enlisted personnel (from private to master sergeant) who are not college graduates, obey orders because it’s been ingrained in their minds that they are followers.

Whoever authored that law requiring all policemen to be college graduates didn’t foresee the consequences: a PNP which is among the most undisciplined police forces in the world; a PNP whose members think they’re all leaders and not followers.