Manila: More than 7,000 police recruits officially joined the ranks of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said. Nartatez led the simultaneous oath-taking of these newly appointed patrolmen and rookie police officers, aiming to bolster the PNP's personnel complement and enhance its dedication to professionalism and responsiveness.

According to Philippines News Agency, 946 of the new patrolmen and patrolwomen were welcomed at the PNP National Headquarters in Camp Crame. These recruits will be assigned to national support units that provide specialized support to police operations across the country, while the remaining recruits were allocated to various police regional offices.

"The PNP is continuously recruiting and upgrading our organization. We have recruited about 5,100 for the attrition quota and another 2,000 for the regular recruitment quota, totaling 7,000 this year," stated Nartatez. He highlighted that the recruits had undergone the required recruitment process before taking their oaths in various regions, except for the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao due to an ongoing election.

Nartatez assured the public of the integrity of the recruitment process, emphasizing that measures were in place to prevent favoritism and the illegal selling of recruitment slots. "We are making sure that the recruitment process has been conducted properly. The program was faceless, contactless, and nameless to avoid identification and favoritism," he explained.

In his address to the new recruits, Nartatez urged them to remain committed to their oath to serve and protect the country. He reminded them of the responsibility that comes with the opportunity to serve as police officers, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the trust placed in them by the Filipino people.