PNP recruits to undergo Special Action Force training

MANILA, Philippines — Police aspirants will now have to undergo rigid training meant for elite commandos of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police.

PNP chief Director Oscar Albayalde said yesterday he has ordered changes in the training phase for recruits wherein instead of being deployed to police officers for on-the-job training, they would have six months of intense training at the SAF facility in Santa Rosa City, Laguna.

“This will be rigorous. They will be under the basic internal security operations course for the next six months,” Albayalde said in a news briefing in Camp Crame.

In the current setup, recruits undergo basic physical and educational training at the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) for six months before they are transferred to the PNP for immersion in field work.

Albayalde said this practice has to change as there have been cases where recruits were exposed to corruption by field training officers who ordered them to collect protection money from ambulant vendors and owners of illegal establishments.

Asked if he is worried the move would result in fewer applicants, Albayalde said the scenario is unlikely as their salaries have been doubled by President Duterte.

“Where can you see an entry-level position with a salary of P37,000?” he said.

Albayalde also vowed to intensify operations to rid the PNP of scalawags.