Torre orders cops to have physical fitness program, ‘no mercy’ for testers
FITNESS TEST. Picture taken during the selection process for the second batch of police recruits from former Moro rebel groups at Camp Salipada K. Pendatun in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte. (File photo from BARMM Police Office)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered some of its police officers to undergo a serious physical fitness program.
PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III gave this information in an interview with reporters at the PNP Press Corps Shootfest in Quezon City on Friday.
He said the directive applies only to mobile force members with “broken-hour” shifts from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and not the frontline patrol personnel.
“I am dedicating Tuesday and Thursday, 3 p.m. onwards, for their chosen physical fitness program,” Torre said.
“They can go swimming. They can go running. They can play badminton. They can even play golf for as long as they use only that time for athletics because they have a free choice there,” he suggested.
READ: Over 30 cops fail physical fitness, BMI tests
The PNP chief stressed that the dedicated program comes with the expectation that the cops will pass the law enforcement agency’s mandatory physical fitness test.
He also warned personnel who will administer the tests to accurately report the results of the fitness tests.
“We will show no mercy there,” he emphasized.
“If there are doubts and I will meet those who you passed, and I will make them do 40 push-ups and they can’t do it, I will look for the ones who let them pass and we’ll see who to include in the dismissals,” he warned.
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Torre further cited Republic Act 9675 or the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act which reorganized the PNP.
Section 30, Paragraph I of the law states that a person “must [weigh] not more or less than five kilograms of the standard weight corresponding to his or her height, age and sex” to be appointed as a member or officer of the PNP.
Last Tuesday, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said officers who will fail the physical fitness test twice will undergo retraining.
She said these law enforcers might also not be eligible for promotion.
She added that this program is part of the police organization’s goal to show the public that its cops are fit to work./apl
