387 cops suspended for exam cheating

The 387 policemen suspended from service nationwide after they were allegedly found cheating can re-take the National Police Commission (Napolcom) examination after three years.

Napolcom-7 Regional Director Homer Cabaral said the policemen’s services were only suspended and that they can re-take the examination after three years.

“Their examination results were invalidated and with that, they are not eligible to enter the Philippine National Police. Practically, they were not dismissed, but their status expired because they did not become regulars,” Cabaral said.

The 386 policemen were sacked after being allegedly found cheating in the April 17, 2011 Police Officer (PO) entrance examination.

Cabaral stressed that the 18 police officers implicated in the cheating controversy were cleared.

“There were no police officers in Central Visayas who allegedly cheated in the exams. Most of them came from Mindanao and some from Luzon,” Cabaral said.

The sanction, Cabaral said, was not dismissal, but the invalidation of their test results for three years.

Dismissal means that the policeman is barred from holding public office permanently while termination only bars him for a period before he can re-take the test.

Cabaral said that based on the resolution, the Commission “received reports that massive cheating in the PNP Entrance examination were committed in the Mindanao testing centers, particularly in Jolo, Zamboanga City, Koronadal City and Pagadian City.”

“It’s possible that one applicant had knowledge, maybe he’s from the Napolcom or an ex-Napolcom, we don’t know. He created a cheat sheet with 200 answers and the police aspirants were housed in one facility and was taught with the answers,” Cabaral said.

“They had the same wrong answers and it was through timing that one passed and even became a topnotcher, that’s why we found out,” he added.

Napolcom Resolution 2012261 invalidates the results of the April 17, 2011 PNP Entrance Examination of the 387 takers due to statistical improbability of homogeneity of patterns of wrong answers.

Out of 28 testing centers, with more than 50, 000 takers, the 387 applicants were zeroed in, with the commission taking preventive measures to prevent cheating from happening.

“We don’t allow gadgets. They’re only allowed to bring water. We also check their uniforms because there was a case that an applicant hid a cheat sheet inside her bra or underwear, but that didn’t happen in Central Visayas,” Cabaral said. /