PNP cool to hiring more women

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is cool to hiring more women in the police force, an official said yesterday.

In a news briefing in Camp Crame, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde cited two factors.

Albayalde said they have exceeded the 10 percent quota for women allowed under Republic Act 8551, otherwise known as the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act.

There are already about 22,800 policewomen among the 190,000-strong PNP, higher by 3,800 compared to 19,000, which comprises 10 percent of the current total number of police officers, he said.

“Hindi natin dinidiscriminate yung mga female police officers but then we have hired many policewomen and they are doing desk jobs, administrative works,” he said.

He added there are other policewomen in the elite Special Action Force. Female police officers are also being deployed for civil disturbance management operations.

Albayalde issued the statement in response to the call of Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel to reserve for women at least 20 percent of the PNP’s annual recruitment training and education quota.

“We are also pushing for immediate administrative reforms in the PNP so that only female officers should have direct and immediate custody of children brought to police stations for any reason, regardless whether they are considered in conflict with the law or not,” Pimentel said in a statement over the weekend.

Albayalde also pointed out the ratification of the expanded maternity leave bill, which increased the paid maternity leave credits for women to 105 days from the current 60 days.

“So you could just imagine na hindi magamit yung pulis (that the police officer would be unavailable) for that span of time,” he said.

Albayalde clarified they are not against proposed reforms of RA 8551, which includes increasing the quota reserved for women, and the PNP would comply if there are amendments to the law.