PNP chief not keen on hiring more female officers

MANILA. In this photo grabbed from video taken on August 8, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte salutes a platoon of female police officers during the parade in review for the Police Service Anniversary. (File Photo)
MANILA. In this photo grabbed from video taken on August 8, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte salutes a platoon of female police officers during the parade in review for the Police Service Anniversary. (File Photo)

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde said on Monday, November 5, that they are not keen on hiring more female officers.

Women currently make up 12 percent of the entire police force. This is more than the 10 percent required by law.

Albayalde issued the remark after a lawmaker called on the PNP to double their female personnel to 20 percent.

The police chief said most of the female PNP personnel do administrative tasks. Some are assigned to the Civil Disturbance Management unit while others are members of the elite Special Action Force (SAF).

“We stick to the 10 percent talaga kasi baka sumobra ang dami. Remember there are restrictions kapag minsan babae lalo na kapag nag-asawa yan, nabuntis yan lalo ngayon ‘yung maternity leave napakahaba, I think inextend yan for like a year yata, 100 days. Inextend pa yata yan ‘yung maternity leave,” said Albayalde.

“So you could just imagine hindi mo magamit ‘yung pulis for that span of time pero we

follow the 10 percent rule, as of this time it's more than 10 percent, umaabot pa nga yata ng 12 percent kung hindi ako magkamali,” he added.

On Sunday, Surigao del Sur representative Johnny Pimentel urged the PNP to double female recruits to 20 percent.

He said female officers should have direct and immediate custody of children brought to police stations for any reason and kids visiting family members in police detention must also be aided by the Women and Children Protection Desk for their own comfort.

“In other jurisdictions with strong child protection systems, whenever a young girl is taken in for any reason, male officers cannot just put her in a police car. They have to call for a female officer to accompany the child,” Pimentel said.

“There’s no reason why the PNP cannot do this now. We already have Women and Children Protection Desks headed by female officers in all police stations,” he added.

Pimentel’s proposal stemmed from the alleged sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl by a police officer in exchange for the release of her parents who were arrested over drug charges.

He said such incident could not have happened if the victim was handled by a female officer. (SunStar Philippines)

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