Most SWAT personnel flunk skills, fitness tests

Only 42 out of 418 pass physical fitness tests

MANILA - Around 3 out of 4 Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) personnel under the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) lack "fundamental SWAT skills," an assessment program conducted recently showed.

In a press release, the NCRPO, headed by Police Director Leocadio Santiago Jr., revealed that it recently concluded a SWAT Assessment Program with "dismal results."

Based on the assessment, 324 out of 418 SWAT personnel or 77.5% "lack the fundamental SWAT skills," the NCRPO said. In addition, "93 failed to complete and pass the individual tests."

Out of the 418 SWAT personnel assessed, "only 42 passes the physical fitness tests," the NCRPO said.

As a result, Santiago, one of the police officers found liable for the August 23 hostage crisis, quickly ordered the "re-training" of all tactical units in Metro Manila.

"One of the recommendations of Police Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel, the Assessment Team Leader, is to immediately implement a training program to uplift the physical fitness and individual skills of the SWAT personnel," the NCRPO said.

Santiago ordered his men to undergo a SWAT Training Course. A total of 180 police officers from the 5 police districts in Metro Manila joined the training Tuesday morning.

"Candidates need to pass the battery of physical fitness, shooting skills, and neuro-psychiatric tests to move on to the training proper," the NCRPO said.

"Santiago said that from here on, all SWAT units will undergo a standard training to be conducted by SAF [Special Action Force] instructors. This is necessary to ensure the inter-operability of the various SWAT units from the regional, district, city and municipal police offices in the entire Metro Manila," the NCRPO said.

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