The Philippine National Police (PNP) has started a series of tests for 1000 former Muslim fighters endorsed by the Bangsamoro government to join the country's police organization.

Col. Jean Fajardo, PNP spokesperson, told reporters on Wednesday the Bangsamoro government endorsed 1,000 out of the 7,000 former members of Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) who passed a special qualifying eligibility examination on May 2022.

"Today is the start of their series of tests and today the 1,000 applicants have reported to us, 700 of them are members of the MILF and 300 come from MNLF," she said.

"After they pass the BMI (body mass index) it will be followed by a physical agility test and they will undergo psychological examination, physical and dental examination and the sequential that is what is going to happen," she added.

Fajardo said the PNP will also conduct background checks to confirm that the applicant does not have a previous criminal record.

"Definitely that (criminal records) will be a ground for their disqualification and once they finish and complete the process including the final board, they will take their oath," she said.

"After taking their oath, they will undergo a recruitment basic course for one year and after that they will have six months of field training program, once they finish this, they will become part of the PNP and they will have a temporary appointment status," she added.

Fajardo said the PNP quota for the recruitment process for the Bangsamoro is 400. She said 70 percent of the 400, which is around 280, will come from the MILF members and the remaining 30 percent or around 120 members will come from the MNLF. Robina Asido/DMS