Despite incidents of cops getting involved in crimes, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar believes the good ones outnumber the rogue members.
On Sunday, Eleazar lauded officers in the provinces of Bulacan and Isabela for providing “true and selfless public service”.
“Sa mahigit na 220,000 na pulis natin sa PNP, napakaliit na porsyento ang masasabi natin na tiwali o abusado. Nananaig pa rin po ang mga pulis na likas ang pagiging matulungin sa kapwa kahit labas na sa kanilang mandato (Of the more than 220,000 policemen in the PNP, only a very small percentage are corrupt or abusive. Policemen’s nature being helpful to others even outside their mandates prevail),” Eleazar said in a news release.
On June 4, members of the Isabela Provincial Mobile Force Company were conducting patrols in Barangay Rang-Ayan in Ilagan town when a group sought their help to save a man, later identified as Ramon Domingo, from drowning in the river.
Pat. Maynard Llapitan and his companions rescued and provided first aid to Domingo.
“Pat. Llapitan is a good example of how the PNP really is. Even as a patrolman, he displayed presence of mind to save a life and manifested selfless public service,” Eleazar said in Filipino. “He is proof that there are still good policemen in our ranks. I believe that people like Llapitan can save the image of the organization.”
In Bulacan, S/Sgt. Babylyn Junio of the Hagonoy Municipal Police Station recently helped a woman who gave birth while in a tricycle.
Junio called for rescue and a doctor to help the woman safely deliver her baby.
Eleazar urged all PNP personnel to follow the examples of Llapitan and Junio as well as other police officers who do good deeds for the community.
“Sila po ang inyong tularan. Ipakita po natin sa publiko na tayong mga pulis ay kanilang maaasahan para magbigay ng tulong at proteksyon anumang oras. Magsilbing inspirasyon sana sila sa inyo na patuloy na tumupad at maging tapat sa ating mandato at gumawa ng kabutihan para sa ating kapwa (They are role models. Let us show the public that we, policemen, can be relied on to provide help and protection at any time. May they inspire you to continue to fulfill and be true to our mandate and do good for the public),” he said
Eleazar strongly supports Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año’s call for more supervision and discipline in the police force.
“We will abide by the directive and guidance of our Secretary Eduardo Año and further instill discipline and professionalism on our police personnel. Indeed, strict supervision is what we need to cleanse our ranks of erring personnel,” he said in a previous interview.
Año’s order came after the fatal shooting of a 52-year-old woman in Fairview, Quezon City by an apparently drunk M/Sgt. Hensie Zinampan on May 31.
The incident was caught on video. The suspect has been charged criminally and administratively.
Año also tasked the PNP to fast-track the resolution of administrative cases against erring police officers while Eleazar sought the public’s help in weeding out scalawags from the ranks.
He said PNP’s internal cleansing efforts would be more effective if the public reports and lodges complaints against police abuses or involvement in criminal activities. (PNA)
