Do not single out graduates of Criminology

VICTOR DELOS SANTOS, Dean of Criminology, University of Baguio

I dont even want Criminology graduates to become police officers because they are just fit to
become workers at the crime laboratory.
This statement, quoted from the Philippine Star dated Jan. 31, came from the chief of the
Philippine National Police, Dir. Gen. Alan Purisima. He was talking about his proposal of hiring nonCriminology graduates to become a police officer because according to him, non-Criminology
graduates could better serve in the PNP. He added this proposal is meant to address corruption
and abuses committed by police officers.
The PNP chief made an irresponsible statement because of the following observations:
First, according to Republic Act 8551 or the PNP Reorganization and Professional Law, one of the
qualifications for one to become a PNP officer is that the applicant must be a holder of any fouryear degree course, which include graduates of Bachelor of Science in Criminology. We are
governed by rules of law and not a rule of what we want.
Second, BS Criminology is the only four-year course offered in private higher educational
institutions or even state colleges, which covers the topics of the six major areas like criminal
jurisprudence, which is composed of five subjects; law enforcement administration with six
subjects; correctional administration with two subjects; crime detection and investigation with six
subjects; criminal sociology with six subjects; and, criminalistics with six subjects, which is related
to crime laboratory works. Why should you limit graduates of Criminology to working in the crime
laboratory only? Other courses do not have these topics in their curriculum. If you insist on this
idea, it is again a violation of RA 6506 or the Act Creating the Board of Examiners for
Criminologists in the Philippines and for other purposes, particularly Section 23.
Third, is there a research conducted to show the extent of participation of criminology graduates
involved in abuses and corruption? Media has been previously exposing corruption activities done
by ranking officers who are graduates of a premier school but I never heard that one of them was
a graduate of Criminology.
The statement of the PNP chief creates a silent gap between his office and some PNP officers who
are Criminology graduates. His statement might provoke Criminology educators to think twice
before believing in his words.
The problem of corruption in the PNP or in any office in the government cannot be solved by
finger-pointing. It can only be solved by looking at the root of corruption. It involves proposing
solutions that are based from criminological research since corruption is a crime by itself. This
research is one of the main concerns of the profession, Criminology, and not by any other course.