200 ex-Moro National Liberation Front, Moro Islamic Liberation Front members pass initial tests for aspiring cops

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 7, 2023): 200 ex-Moro National Liberation Front, Moro Islamic Liberation Front members pass initial tests for aspiring cops (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan) 

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)

MANILA – A total of 200 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) passed the physical and medical examinations to join the police force, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the former members of secessionist groups in Mindanao hurdled the neuro, physical and medical examinations but they would still be subjected to background investigations.

“Right now, there are around 200 of them who are included in what we call a clean list which means that they already passed all the examinations being conducted in our recruitment process,” Fajardo told reporters in a press briefing held at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

She said the former fighters were among the 1,000 passers of the special eligibility examinations as part of the integration process at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) following the signing of a peace agreement under the previous administration.

“’Yung initially na 1,000 mahigit na isinalang dito sa processes, sa ngayon ang nasa clean list I understand nasa around 200 na lamang ang nakalusot at sa ngayon ‘yung 600 na sumalang dito sa process na ito ay tuloy tuloy pa rin ‘yung ginagawang complete background investigation so kahit ikaw ay napasama na dito sa clean list, ibig sabihin naipasa niyo yung mga process including the neuro psychological examination ay hindi pa ito sapat dahil hinihintay pa rin natin ‘yung resulta ng background investigation (The initially around 1,000 who were under in the processes, so far the ones on the clean list, I understand that only around 200 have made it through to what we call the clean list and so far the 600 who have entered this process are still. A complete background investigation is being done, so even though you have been included in the clean list, it means that you have passed the processes including the neuro psychological examination, it is not enough because we are still waiting for the results of the background investigation),” Fajardo explained.

The PNP earlier allocated 400 slots for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front and MNLF combatants, where all of them will be assigned at the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR).

“The complete background investigation is still ongoing so even if you were already included in the clean list, this is not enough since the PNP will still find out if they have a derogatory record which is a ground for disqualification in the recruitment process,” said Fajardo.

Since the 400 slots allocated for PRO-BAR were not filled up, Fajardo said the regional office will initiate moves to complete the quota in the future recruitment process.

Fajardo also emphasized that the PNP does not see any risk in integrating Moro Islamic Liberation Front and MNLF members into the police force.

“The intention really is for them to serve the BARMM in order for them to be empowered which means that the cooperation and genuine concern for all the people of the BARMM will come from them,” said Fajardo.

In May 2022, around 7,000 of 11,000 MNLF and Moro Islamic Liberation Front members passed a special qualifying eligibility examination to join the PNP.

Fajardo said earlier they have started the processing of 1,000 passers who have been endorsed by the Bangsamoro government -- 700 of whom are from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and 300 are from the MILF.

The applicants would have to pass the body mass index test, physical agility test, psychological examination, and physical and dental examination.

After their oath-taking, the successful applicants would undergo a one-year basic recruitment course and a six-month field training program.

Once they finish these courses, they would be given a temporary appointment status and would be assigned to the PRO-BAR.

The National Police Commission earlier said the age requirement for Moro Islamic Liberation Front and MNLF applicants shall not be below 20 and not over 35 years old.

One of the major requirements for the applicants to the special qualifying exams is a certification from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the MNLF that they are bonafide members of the organizations.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207254