Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 1, 2022
Quezon City, Metro Manila
5:12 pm
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2945
HOUSE BILL NO. _________

Introduced by: HON. JOSEPH "JOJO" LARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 35 of Republic Act (RA) No. 6975 (An Act Establishing the Philippine
National Police under a Reorganized Department of the Interior and Local
Government, and for other Purposes) provides that:

"The PNP shall be supported by administrative and operational support units.

The administrative support units shall consist of the Crime Laboratory, Logistic Unit,
Communications Unit, Computer Center, Finance Center, and Civil Security Unit The
operational support units shall be composed of the Maritime Police Unit, Police
Intelligence Unit, Police Security Unit, Criminal Investigation Unit, Special Action Force,
Narcotics units, Aviation Security Unit, Traffic Management Unit, the Medical and
Dental Centers and the Civil Relations Unit. To enhance police operational efficiency
and effectiveness, the Chief of the PNP may constitute such other support units as
may be necessary subject to the approval of the Commission: Provided, That no
support unit headed by a chief superintendent or a higher rank can be created unless
provided by law.'

For several years, the PNP Recruitment Program is being implemented by the
Recruitment and Selection Division (now Police Non-Commissioned Division) under the
Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM). As such, pursuant to
NAPOLCOM Resolution No. 2019-1030 dated December 27, 2019, the PNP
Recruitment and Selection Service (PRSS) was activated as a National Administrative
Support Unit, under the functional supervision and control of the DPRM, in order to
institutionalize the standard implementation of the PNP Recruitment and Selection
Program to ensure the entry of qualified and competent uniformed personnel in the
PNP.

The recruitment, selection and appointment process in the PNP needs to be

separately enacted into law in order to specifically provide measures to safeguard the
recruitment system and to prevent various forms of corruption, including, but not
limited to, "Padrino", "Bata-Bata System" and "Kamag-Anak Incorporation" which can
cause the recruitment and appointment of "scalawags", "Ninja Cops" and relatives
involved in illegal drugs or illegal activities.
 Further, a separate law on PNP recruitment shall define the qualification
standards for Patrolman/woman, technical and line officers, PNP Cadets and other
mode of entry in PNP as uniformed personnel. This proposed bill will clearly pave the
way for a paperless and modernized recruitment process that will facilitate and
drastically shorten the length of the entire recruitment process from six months to one
month. This will surely stop any attempt of corrupting the recruitment process and
prevent the appointment of disqualified applicants for Patrolman/woman, Technical
and Line Officer and PNPA Cadet.

Moreover, this bill will allow the recruitment and appointment of Pilots as Police
Captains to make PNP competitively attractive to all commercial pilots as well as
recruitment and appointment of Aeronautical Engineers and Aviation Professionals to
strengthen the air unit of the PNP. This bill also provides for the recruitment and
appointment of Psychologists/Psychometricians, Medical Technologists, Chemists, and
other medical professionals to complete the needs of the Health Service and Crime
Laboratory, to support the establishment of molecular laboratories nationwide.
Likewise, this bill includes recruitment and appointment of Veterinary Doctors for the
welfare of the EOD/K9 units who patrol public places and airports.

Lastly, with the increasing population, the PNP strength also increases and
there is a need to provide legal and juridical personality for PNP Recruitment and
Selection Service (PRSS), as one of the National Administrative Support Units, solely
for purposes of recruitment, selection and appointment processing in order to facilitate
the entry in PNP, avoid corruption and to streamline the appointment similar with the
system during PC/INP days or the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This proposed measure seeks to amend specific provisions of RA 6975 as

amended by RA 8551 and RA 9708 in order to guarantee the implementation of the
PNP Recruitment and Selection Program for Patrolman/PatroIwoman1 PNPA Cadets
and Lateral Entry for Line and Technical Officers that will uphold a professional
workforce to improve the quality of law enforcement in the country.

This bill will surely provide prompt identification of accountability to specific

person/s responsible for any irregularities and anomalies during recruitment, selection,
and appointment processing as uniformed personnel for PNP.

In view thereof, the immediate passage of this proposed legislative measure is

earnestly sought.

JOSEPH "JOJO" L. LARA

 Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2945
HOUSE BILL NO. ________
___________________________________________________________________

Introduced by HON. JOSEPH "JOJO" L. LARA

____________________________________________________________________

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF THE RECRUITMENT,
SELECTION, AND APPOINTMENT PROCESS OF UNIFORMED PERSONNEL OF
THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP): AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
SPECIFIC PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT No. 6975, AS AMENDED BY
REPUBLIC ACT No. 8551 AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9708, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in

Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “PNP Recruitment and
Selection Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to establish a

highly efficient, effective, and competent police force, which is national in scope,
civilian in character, and administered and controlled by the National Police
Commission.

SECTION 3. Objectives. – The PNP shall establish a specific unit responsible for the
recruitment and selection of all applicants for Patrolman/Patrolwoman, PNPA Cadets
and Lateral Entry for Line and Technical Officers in order to improve the quality of
police services in the country with the following objectives:

1. To enhance the capability of the PNP through institutionalization of standard

recruitment processing for Police Patrolman/Patrolwoman, PNPA Cadets and
Lateral Entry for Line and Technical Officers by establishing the PNP
Recruitment and Selection Service as a separate unit devoted only for the
purpose;

2. To establisha one-stop shop recruitment process for Patrolman/Patrolwoman

in every region in order to prioritize and encourage graduates in the provinces
and remote areas to join the PNP service;
 3. To establish qualification standards for Aircraft/Aeronautical Engineers, other
related aviation professionals, Chemists, Psychologists/ Psychometricians,
Medical Technologists, other medical allied professionals, Veterinary Medicine,
and Information Technology professionals to the Rank of Police Lieutenant as
well as Lawyers and Aircraft Pilots to the rank of Police Captain;

4. To entice above named professionals both civilian and in-service to serve

exclusively to the PNP technical offices/units to support police operations and
public services to the general public; and

5. To simplify and streamline the attestation process.

SECTION 4. Section 27 of RA No. 6975 is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 27. Manning Levels. – On the average nationwide, the manning

levels of the PNP shall be approximately in accordance with a police-to population
ratio of one (1) policeman for every five hundred (500) persons. The actual
determination of police-to-population ratio shall only include the actual strength of
police deployed in Provincial Police Offices, City Police Offices, and Municipal Police
Stations. The actual strength by cities and municipalities shall depend on the state
of peace and order, population density and actual demands of the service in the
particular area.

SECTION 5. Section 30 of RA No. 6975, as amended by Section 14 of RA 8551 and

Section 1 of RA 9708 is hereby further amended to read as follows:

Section 30. General Qualifications of Appointment — No person shall be

appointed as officer or member of the PNP unless he possesses the following
minimum qualifications:

xxx

(h) Must be at least one (1) meter and fifty-seven (57) centimeters in
height for male and one (1) meter and fifty-two (52) centimeters for female.
For Technical Officers and members of Indigenous Peoples (IP), height
requirement shall be at least one (1) meter and fifty-two (52) centimeters for
male and one (1) meter and forty-seven (47) centimeters for female, provided
that a certification be issued by National Police Commission or the National
Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) as to their lineage/ancestry.

xxx

[For the purpose of determining compliance with the requirements on physical and
mental health, as well as the non use of prohibited drugs, the PNP by itself or through
a NAPOLCOM accredited government hospital shall conduct regular psychiatric,
psychological drug and physical tests randomly and without notice.”]
The physical, mental, and medical screening process, as well as the testing for the
non-use of prohibited drugs shall be conducted by any government tertiary hospital
accredited by the Department of Health through the supervision of medical doctors
from the PNP Health Service. Random physical, mental and drug testing without any
notice shall also be done as to ascertain compliance with the requirements.

SECTION 6. Section 31 of RA No. 6975 is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 31B Appointment of PNP Officers and Members. – The PNP Recruitment
and Selection Service shall be the sole office responsible for the recruitment
process of all applicants. The appointment shall be effected in the following
manner:

a. The appointment cadet for Philippine National Police Academy shall be signed
by the Chief, PNP starting from salary grade of eighteen (18) for fourth class,
salary grade nineteen (19) for third class, salary grade twenty (20) for second
class, salary grade twenty-one (21) for first class and to salary grade twenty-
two (22) for Police Lieutenant after graduation;

b. The appointment of Police Non-Commissioned Officers shall be signed by

concerned Regional Directors or Directors of National Support Units;

c. The appointment of Police Commissioned Officers shall be signed by the Chief,

PNP; and

d. The appointment of Third Level Officers and members shall be signed by the
President of the Philippines.

The attestation of appointment of all uniformed personnel, except for Third Level, shall
be attested by the Civil Service Commission.

SECTION 7. Section 33 of Republic Act No. 6975 is hereby amended to read as

follows:
Section 33, Lateral Entry of Officers into the PNP. - In general, the
appointments of commissioned officers in the PNP through lateral entry is
considered as original and not promotional appointment. The original appointment
shall commence with the rank of Police Lieutenant, to include all those with highly
technical qualifications applying for the PNP technical services, such as Chemist,
Medical Technologist, Dentist, Nurse, Psychologist/Psychometrician, Veterinary
Medicine, Information Technology Professionals, Aeronautical Engineer/Aviation
Professional, and other related technical professions. The Aircraft Pilot, Doctor of
Medicine, Member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and Chaplain shall be
appointed to the rank of Police Captain in their particular technical service. The
qualification standard shall be in accordance with the Index Occupational
Standards or the laws governing the practice of the respective profession.
 Graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) shall be
automatically appointed to the initial rank of Police Lieutenant.

Licensed Criminologists shall be appointed to the rank of Police Lieutenant as

Line Officers to fill up any vacancy after promotions from the ranks are completed.

The PNP personnel are given priority to join the Lateral Entry Program. The in-
service years of experience shall be considered equivalent to years of experience
required for appointment. In-service Licensed Criminologists of PNP regardless of
rank may join the PNP Lateral Entry Program for line officers provided that the
present rank of appointment is permanent in status with no derogatory record or
pending criminal and administrative complaint/case and physically, mentally, and
medically fit.

SECTION 8. Section 35 of RA No. 6975 is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 35. Support Units – The PNP shall be supported by administrative

and operational support units. The administrative support units shall consist of the
Crime Laboratory, Logistic Unit, Communications Unit, Computer Center, Finance
Center, Civil Security Unit and the Recruitment and Selection Service. The
operational support units shall be composed of the Maritime Police Unit, Police
Intelligence Unit, Police Security Unit, Criminal Investigation Unit, Special Action
Force, Narcotics units, Aviation Security Unit, Traffic Management Unit, the Medical
and Dental Centers and the Civil Relations Unit. To enhance police operational
efficiency and effectiveness, the Chief of the PNP may constitute such other
support units as may be necessary subject to the approval of the Commission:
Provided, That no support unit headed by a chief superintendent or a higher rank
can be created unless provided by law.

xxx

(7) The Recruitment and Selection Service shall be headed by a Police Brigadier
General who shall be responsible in the recruitment and selection of
applicants for Patrolman/Patrolwoman, PNPA Cadets and Lateral Entry for
line and technical officers nationwide. The functions shall include but not
limited to the following such as:

a. Determining recruitment quota, distribution of recruitment quota,

qualification standards;

b. Conduct of one-month recruitment through establishing a one-stop shop

facilities/venues for the recruitment processing composed of Doctors,
Nurses, Dentists, and other Medical Professions detailed from the PNP
Health Service and other medical practitioners from government tertiary
 hospitals accredited by the Department of Health under the supervision of
medical doctors from the PNP Health Service;

c. Design electronic programs and gadgets for the online registration of

application of applicants, conduct of Assessment Test/Written Competitive
Examinations, Psychological/Psychiatric Evaluation and utilized electronic
machines for Physical/Medical and Dental Examinations for establishment
of database of applicants;

d. Strengthen the coordination with Academe and other Government Agencies

for data sharing and improvement on the quality of graduates who will be
the future Police Officers; and

e. Spearhead amendment of laws, policies, and circulars on recruitment of

Police Officers and Members.

xxx

SECTION 9. Permanency and Termination of Appointment of Uniformed

Personnel. – All uniformed personnel appointed as Patrolman/
Patrolwoman and Lateral Entry Line and Technical Officers shall be appointed in a
temporary status. Permanent appointment shall be issued after completion of required
basic training and Field Training Program for twelve months. Extension of temporary
status is prohibited except for compelling reasons, provided the same is beyond the
control and not attributable to the appointee, provided further the extension is only
for twelve months.

All uniformed personnel who failed to comply with the above provision shall be
terminated without prejudice for reappointment provided that they still meet the
minimum qualification standards as set by RA No. 6975 as amended by RA No. 8551
and RA No. 9708, respectively.

All uniformed personnel in temporary status who committed infractions, violations,

and offenses shall, after due process, be terminated with prejudice to re-entry or
reappointment. The termination proceeding shall be conducted by Training Institution
with strict observance of due process wherein the recommendation for termination
shall be approved by the appointing authority within thirty (30) days from date of
occurrence of compelling reasons or the commission of the infractions, violations, and
offenses.

SECTION 10. Appointment of Non-Uniformed Personnel. –

a. The PNP Recruitment and Selection Services (PRS) shall have eighty-eight (88)
Non-Uniformed plantilla positions which shall be created for the following
purposes:

1. The Non-Uniformed Personnel with salary grade twenty-two (22) shall be

the Deputy Chief for Planning Management Division;
 2. Salary Grade eighteen (18) be given to Section Chief for Attestation; and

3. Salary Grade fifteen (15), eleven (11), Nine (9), eight (8), six (6), four (4)
and two (2) shall be given to Assistant Section Chief, Admin, Computer
Operators, Proof Readers, Encoders, Messenger, Driver, and Utility to be
distributed to all Division/Units of PRS.

b. The Chief, PNP may appoint Doctors, Nurses, Dentists, Chemists, Medical
Technologists, and Admin and Utility personnel in Health Service, Crime
Laboratory, and Training Institutions with salary grade commensurate in
accordance with Index Occupational Standards.

The above plantilla shall be sourced from the existing unfilled Non-Uniformed
Personnel which can be realigned accordingly.

SECTION 11. Funding. – The funding for the recruitment process shall be
specifically provided in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the PNP. The
Initial Clothing Allowance of Php 25,000.00 per capita shall also be included therein
subject to the prevailing inflation rate per annum.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. – All other provisions of Republic Act No. 6975, as
amended by Republic Act No. 8551 and Republic Act No. 9708, and all other laws,
executive orders, rules, and regulations, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
shall be deemed modified or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 13. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act or the application
of such provision is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the provisions not affected
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 14. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,