PNP backs bill pushing for more female cops

Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said the traditional troop ceiling for women and other gender restrictions in recruitment and selection has already been rationalized, thus providing equal opportunities in filling up vacant positions. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday expressed support for the measure seeking to recruit more women into police service.

Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said the traditional troop ceiling for women and other gender restrictions in recruitment and selection has already been rationalized, thus providing equal opportunities in filling up vacant positions.

“As far as the recruitment and selection process is concerned, the PNP is 100-percent compliant with the requirements of law in terms of gender equality and empowerment of women,” he said in a statement.

While recognizing that the PNP is dominated by men, Banac said women continue to take a permanent foothold in the service.

“The Women Police Service (WPS), traditionally delegated to auxiliary functions, has been deactivated and its women members had been integrated into the regular force alongside their male counterparts,” he added.

Banac said 83.4 percent of the 180,767 PNP uniformed personnel are male, and the remaining 16.6 percent, female.

He said that women commissioned officers comprise 14 percent of the PNP Officer Corps assigned to various leadership positions.

On Thursday, the House of Representatives committee on public order and safety approved House Bill (HB) No. 6869 filed by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, which seeks to allot 20 percent of vacant Police Officer 1 positions for women, from the current 10 percent.

“Besides giving women greater opportunity to join the PNP, our intention here is to push up the absolute number of female officers in the force over time,” Pimentel said.

“We want the PNP to achieve the ideal situation wherein female officers shall have exclusive supervision over women and children brought to police stations for custodial investigation,” Pimentel added.

The PNP has an annual recruitment quota of 10,000 for the position of Police Officer 1.

Co-authors of HB 8689 are representatives Alexandria Gonzales (Mandaluyong City), Chiqui Roa-Puno (Antipolo City), Marlyn Alonte (Biliran), Ann Hofer (Zamboanga Sibugay), Victoria Isabel Noel (AN WARAY), Bernadette Herrera (BH), Vini Nola Ortega (ABONO), and Francisco Josef Matugas II (Surigao del Norte).