PNPA ‘Maragtas’ 2018 Class to undergo SAF training

Pinning of badges of honor on members of PNPA Maragtas Class by PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde (JHOANNA BALLARAN /INQUIRER.net)

The Philippine National Police Academy Maragtas Class of 2018 will soon undergo a six-month Special Action Force (SAF) training, the first batch to be required by the police to undergo the rigid course.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Oscar D. Albayalde made this announcement on Friday as he conferred the recently-commissioned police officers their badges of honor at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Albayalde said the 76 rookie policemen will take the six-month Basic Internal Security and Operations Course (Bisoc) after they take up the Basic Patrol Leadership and Basic Intelligence Officers courses.

He said the PNP expects each member of the batch to finish the highly physical course as failure may cause their dismissal from the service.

“Kung hindi sila makapasa, they will be evaluated, they can undergo summary hearing procedure [and] also, pwede nila ikadismiss sa serbisyo ‘yan for not being able to finish the training,” Albayalde said in a press briefing.

(If they will not finish it, they will be evaluated, they can undergo summary hearing procedure and also, they can be dismissed from service if they are unable to finish the training.)

Requiring members of the Maragtas Class to undergo the SAF course is in line with Albayalde’s plan to institutionalize the Bisoc course to replace the six-month on-the-job training program for new police recruits.

As he assumed office in April, Albayalde said he wants to require all new police recruits to undergo the rigorous course to “instill discipline” in the PNP.    /muf

READ: Albayalde wants SAF training for rookie cops to instill discipline in PNP