Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has ordered an expansion of its anti-hazing measures that will include all police training units across the country.

The order stemmed from the incident at the PNP Academy on April 3 when three cadets applied a mixture of strong chemicals at the back of plebes in what is deemed as another embarrassing and weird hazing activity at the Academy.

Nartatez said the PNPA hazing incident is a good and logical reason to conduct a wider review of training practices and accountability mechanisms within the police force, adding that reforms will no longer be limited to the Academy but will apply to every stage of police training nationwide.

“We are institutionalizing these reforms. Hindi lang ito para sa PNPA, this will be a zero-tolerance standard for all training centers nationwide, from recruitment to specialized courses,” said Nartatez.

Police commanders were earlier directed to closely mentor newly graduated PNPA cadets, stressing that discipline, integrity, and professionalism must define their early years in service.

Nartatez said the organization will now focus on uniform implementation and monitoring of anti-hazing policies across all training centers.

Aside from several incidents of hazing at the PNPA, similar cases were also reported in various training services of the PNP.

This includes the incident in February this year wherein police recruits for elite units in Basilan were subjected to physical harm. The incident resulted in the relief of a police colonel and at least 10 other police officials.

“Consistency is key. We are strengthening our internal monitoring. Magkakaroon ng random inspections at stricter accountability for training directors. In the PNP, brotherhood should never be an excuse for violence,” he said.

Nartatez stressed that the reforms aim to reshape the culture within the police force, “We are redefining discipline. Hazing has no place in a professional police force. We will weed out those who refuse to follow these reforms,” he said.