Napolcom uncovers fake height waivers used by PNP applicants

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has discovered fake height waivers submitted by indigenous peoples (IPs) who are applying to be members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Rodolfo Grande Santos Jr., Napolcom director in Central Luzon, has unearthed three fake waivers since January, according to Wilma Paras, Napolcom regional information officer.

To discourage prejudice, the waivers are issued to indigenous Filipino police applicants who do not meet the height requirement of 5’2” for women and 5’4” for men.

Napolcom issues the waiver after the applicant gets a certificate of confirmation from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

But one of the certificates of height waiver, purportedly issued by Danilo Pacunana, Napolcom director in Cagayan Valley, turned out to have been forged.

The document bore Pacunana’s fake signature and a dry seal that was not utilized by the Napolcom Cagayan office.

The applicants claimed they obtained the waivers with the help of relatives.

Napolcom regional offices do not collect any fee for issuing the waivers, according to Santos.

Lawyer Bernardina Joven, Napolcom assistant director and vice chair of the PNP recruitment and selection board, said applicants found to have submitted spurious documents shall be liable for perjury. RC