Aquino says ‘no’ to short cops

MANILA, Philippines – Short people hoping to join the long arm of the law will be left disappointed after President Benigno Aquino III vetoed a bill removing height requirements for police.

“I can confirm that the President vetoed… the [proposed] ‘Act Repealing the Minimum Height Requirement for Applicants to the Philippine National Police, to the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology,’ deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte announced on Monday, April 1. 

Congress passed a bill repealing minimum height requirements for the police, fire service and jail guards. The president felt that some jobs required people of a certain stature, Valte said.

“If you need to rescue someone from a burning house… or secure detainees, then you would need certain physical attributes. That is the nature of these jobs and it is not discrimination,” she told reporters.

Aquino’s move means the minimum height of five feet, four inches for men and five feet, two inches for women applying for these jobs would still apply.

Valte said the police and other agencies already granted height requirement waivers for certain applicants so short people still could get in if they have special qualifications.

“Whereas height is among these qualifications (5’4” for males and 5’2” for females), a waiver of disqualification is allowed under certain conditions; hence, the total repeal of the height requirement among these service bureaus is unnecessary,” she said. – with Agence France-Presse