PNP's height, education, age requirements eased for MILF, MNLF members —NAPOLCOM

The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) has eased the requirements for former Moro rebels who want to join the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In a statement, the NAPOLCOM said it has set guidelines and procedures for the entry of the members of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to the PNP.

It said under Memorandum Circular No. 2022-001, age, height and educational requirements are eased "to truly afford MILF and MNLF members the opportunity to join the police service."

The height requirement for MNLF and MILF applicants who are members of the cultural community or indigenous people is set at 1.52 meters or 4'11" for male and 1.45 meters or 4'9" for female.

According to the PNP public information office (PIO), the current height requirement to join the police organization is 5'4" or 1.63 meters for male and 5'2" or 1.57 meters for female.

The age requirement for MILF and MNLF applicants is from 20 to 35 years old. Currently, regular applicants should not be older than 30 years old, the PNP PIO said.

For educational requirements, NAPOLCOM said MNLF and MILF applicants must have completed at least  junior high school under the current K to 12 Program, or four years of high school under the previous program, or Alternative Learning System (ALS) Accreditation and Equivalency Program accredited by the Department of Education and by the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education.

According to the PNP PIO, regular applicants should be at least a college graduate of any course to join the police force.

NAPOLCOM said that the “waiver” does not cover eligibility requirements. MNLF and MILF members should pass NAPOLCOM’s Special Qualifying Eligibility Examination.

On the last special exam conducted on May 29, the NAPOLCOM said 7,145 passed, of which 5,060 can be recruited as patrolman or patrolwoman at the Police Regional Office - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The PNP will set up a recruitment process where the passers may apply.

The  entry of MILF and MNLF members into the PNP is in accordance with the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News