Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 22) — Senators on Tuesday proposed to amend the screening process for policemen, especially the neuropsychiatric exam, in a bid to filter out abusive officers.
“Pareho pa rin hanggang ngayon ang kalakaran, ang pangabuso ng mga pulis, lalo na itong mga mabababang ranggo. Kaga-graduate lang, wala pang isang linggo, namaril, nambugbog…nagpaplant ng mga ebidensya,” said Senator Raffy Tulfo during the Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee hearing.
[Translation: The practice remains the same until now. There are still abusive policemen out there, especially those in lower ranks. After graduating, in less than a week, you can hear reports of those who are shooting, beating up, and planting evidence.]
“There is really something very, very wrong with the screening process ng ating PNP, lalo na sa neuropsychiatric exam. Siguro kailangan baguhin na yung format ng neuro exam,” he added.
[Translation: There is really something very, very wrong with the screening process of our PNP, particularly in the conduct of neuropsychiatric exam. I think it’s time to change the format of the neuro exam.]
Tulfo made the proposal after six cops were involved in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar in Navotas City last August 2, which the police said was a case of mistaken identity.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Chief for Administration Rhodel Sermonia said that police officers regularly undergo neuropsychiatric exam, and they take the test again before they can be promoted.
The exam tests the psychological and mental stability of cops.
But Tulfo flagged that the questions remain the same every year and the fact it can be retaken.
“Pare-pareho lang yung tanong, kung hindi, binabaligtad-baligtad…So name-memorize na yung sagot…At balita ko pa, kapag ikaw ay bumagsak sa neuro exam, pwede ka papasahin,” the senator said.
[Translation: The questions are always the same and they are just reshuffled. So the answers can be easily memorized….I also learned that if you fail the neuro exam, they can just let you pass.]
Although the PNP said that it will investigate the possible leakage of answers, the agency said that failing the exam could be due to various reasons.
“Kapag bumagsak, posible na baka may problema siya, stressed siya, kulang sa tulog, hindi naman considered na neurotic. Kaya kapag nagse-second try or third try, ay pumapasa,” said Sermonia.
[Translation: If one fails, it’s possible that he could be facing a problem at that time, maybe he was just stressed, or did not have enough sleep, so we cannot simply say that one is neurotic. That’s why after second or third try, they could already pass the exam.]
Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who was a former PNP chief, agreed that the neuropsychiatric exam for policemen must be reviewed.
“Non-negotiable talaga yang neuro. Kasi ilang beses na tayo nagkaproblema ng pulis na may katok talaga, na namamaril ng walang rason,” he said.
[Translation: The neuropsychiatric exam is non-negotiable. Because we had encountered cops who were mentally ill, and they just shoot anyone without any valid reason.]
