PNP tightens qualifications for aspiring regional directors

Senior police officials who aspire to become regional directors are now mandated to undergo a six-day seminar training before they are included in the list of qualified applicants.

Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the new policy was implemented to ensure that no incompetent police officials would be appointed to the post of regional directors, especially in terms of properly managing their men to improve anti-criminality campaign.

“This is to enhance the competence of every police officer and also not to hamper the organization’s vision to become highly-capable, effective and credible police service,” said Mayor.

Mayor said PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima was the one who initiated the policy in response to the complaints of “padrino” system which sometimes resulted in the appointment of unqualified and unfit police officials.

Yesterday, a total of 42 senior police officials started the training program which requires them to finish 48 hours of seminar in six days.

Highlights of the seminar are the implementation of established policies and guidelines on police-media relations, disaster management, harnessing community support and incident and resource managements.

Once they finish the course, Mayor explained that the officers are already assured of inclusion in the lists of qualified officers to handle the regional director posts.

Director Alex Monteagudo, head of the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development, said the seminar is well-crafted to suit the job description of the regional director.

There are a total 17 police regional offices in the country, the most important are the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) in Luzon; Central Visayas, in the Visayas; and the Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao regions in Mindanao.