Albayalde: PNP to keep female recruits at 10 percent

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has thumbed down a proposal to increase the threshold for female recruits at 20 percent, saying that the existing 10 percent limit was enough because women have certain limitations considering that they bear children.

PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde made the position in the light of the call of Rep. Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur to raise to 20 percent the annual recruitment and training quota for female officers.

Pimentel said this would help effect immediate administrative reforms and allow the PNP to have direct and immediate custody of children brought to police stations for various reasons.

The lawmaker made the appeal following the arrest of PO1 Edgardo Valencia of the Manila Police District, who was accused of raping the 15-year-old daughter of a couple arrested in an anti-drug operation.

Valencia was accused of having sex with the victim in exchange of her parents' release from detention. 

“Under the law, it should be 10 percent, at sobra sobra pa nga [kami riyan]. Umaabot pa kami ng 12 percent. We don't discriminate female members of the police force. They do administrative work, are deployed in the field including in Civil Disturbance Management, even with Special Action Force," Albayalde said.

"But we stick with the 10 percent because there are restrictions for women. Kapag nag-asawa 'yan, nabuntis...lalo ngayon, 'yung maternity leave, napakahaba,” he added.

He noted that a bill awaiting the President's signature would expand the maternity leave of working mothers.

“Inextend na sa 100 days [mula sa dating 60 days]. You could just imagine, hindi mo magamit ang pulis for that span of time,” Albayalde added.

Albayalde said the case of Valencia was isolated, and that the police should not be stereotyped as physically abusive.

“To say that such cases is rampant would be harsh. That's unfair. This is an isolated case, and we will never tolerate these things. Rest assured, we will show no mercy on this abusive behavior. It does not reflect the general behavior that we have in the PNP,” Albayalde pointed out.

“Hindi po ito pang araw araw na nangyayari. I [am] tell[ing] you. Walang gumawa niyan (pang-aabuso) na pinalampas namin basta basta. Walang gumawa nyan na trinansfer lang namin sa Mindanao and then nothing happened. Walang nangyari kailanman na ganun,” Albayalde claimed.

Albayalde cited that on top of conducting internal investigation on erring members of the police force, the PNP also works with the Commission on Human Rights and the Red Cross, among others, to ensure that human rights are respected in the conduct of police operations.

“Our disciplinary mechanism is in place,” Albayalde said. — LDF, GMA News