Police authorities in the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) started Tuesday a recruitment scheme for new police officers to fight off the “padrino” (patronage) system.

Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, director of Police Regional Office-BARMM, said the new recruitment scheme is in line with the directive of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar to eradicate the “padrino” system in recruitment founded on a favor, affiliation, or friendship.

“This new recruitment scheme aims to ensure the PRO-BARMM also get the best cops,” Ugale said as he led here the beginning of what the PNP termed as a “faceless and nameless” recruitment process with the PRO-BARMM Recruitment Service and Health Services.

He said the new system will provide “only the most qualified and deserving applicants solely based on their credentials and capabilities.”

Under the recruitment scheme, Ugale said a QR (quick response) code system will be used to conceal the identity of the applicants.

“Only the applicant’s qualifications will be evaluated in determining if he/she will be accepted in the police force,” he added.

The recruitment process starts with the procedure of taking the body mass index and the physical agility test.

The applicants who passed these procedures will proceed to the written, oral, physical, medical, and dental examinations.

Ugale said the recruitment process will run until June 12, 2021. (PNA)