The finest POLICE force ever

By Ivan Hydlyde C. Goboleo


They were once hailed ‘The Finest’ because of their satisfactory and dedicated performance to their service. To serve and to protect people is their motto and their number one priority. They would even risk their lives in line of their duties. But as time passes by, do still the Philippine National Police be hailed as the finest police force?


With all the crime that is supposedly committed only by criminals, the people who were hailed as our protector and servicemen is now under the limelight. Name the offense, the PNP officers have also committed it. As the public reacts, some losses their respect to the national police and that ‘mamang police’ who is respectful, courteous, accommodating and always ready now fades out.


Many times, the national police were at the top of the headlines in several media outlets where they portrayed the irresponsible side of the police officers of the land. Let’s start with the most celebrated news last year - The Manila Bus Fiasco. Fiasco because indeed it’s a very embarrassing failure for the police officers. A former policeman who was dismissed from service due to false accusations against him, as what he said, took Hong Thai Travel Bus carrying Hong Kong tourists who only wanted to have sightseeing of the beauty of the country. But what happen to them? They were hostaged by former police officer Rolando Mendoza and commanded the said bus. The story ends with more or less 10 Hong Kong Tourists were slaughtered by Mendoza. Police officers shot their co-uniform, Mendoza was killed. A tragic incident that embarrass the country to the eyes of the world. But, if only PNP made the right moves, this would not happen in the first place. The said incident only shows that we have a weak police organization in the country.


For this year, there are celebrated news wherein police officers are involved in many crimes such as carnapping, kidnapping, rape, harassment, brutality, drug abuse, corruption, killings and many more. These crimes are supposedly suppressed by the national police but look, they are the ones involved in the said crimes. For the carnapping case for an instance, the Dominguez Carnapping Group, according to news reports, has a senior police officer who protects the operation of the said group. A certain PNP Director Boysie Rosales was named by an intelligent report as protector of the carnapping group, according to Arlene dela Cruz’s report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. But the director denied the accusations against him. News reports says that there are still top officials who protect the carnapping groups, that’s why no question, carnapping is rampant. For the country like the Philippines, it’s not new already that police is once again involved in certain wrongdoing like this. Police are indeed criminals of their own uniform, not all.


Kidnapping, as what an Indian national revealed in the previous months that police are also involved in kidnapping. After they have kidnapped certain people, certainly Indian nationals, they would arrest, charge of different charges and illegally detain them. But after they would settle down to money deals, as in extortion, they would free them.


Meanwhile, a police officer was charged of raping a local folk inside the police office somewhere in Metro Manila. Harassment of police is everywhere, as what Tudla Productions, a media organization, documented during a rally in Manila wherein a San Juan police officer took photos and taunted media people. Brutality is at the blood of some police officers, it is. Who would forget the precinct police chief who tied the penis of an accused hold-upper just to squeeze information against the accused? Who would dare to see the police officer who smashed one of the rallyist at the back neck using the police shield during a dispersal operations of the rallyists Kuliglig drivers? Who might be amazed of what the police officers did to a rallyist driver where they carried the driver upside down almost kissing the grounds? Who might be shocked of the incident involving police officers wherein an arrested man shot inside the police premises in an attempt, according to them, to grab a police officer’s gun? They didn’t give the suspect the chance to start a new life.

Drug abuses are not just for ordinary folks but for some police officers too. GMA Network’s Imbestigador through its surveillance video caught on cam two police officers doing pot sessions in their police uniform. The police officers who were accused denied the allegations, one insisted that the video was taken long time ago before he entered the national police but Imbestigador also insisted that the video was taken recently.

Corruption in the Philippine National Police is also there, who would forget the so called Euro-Generals who skimmed the supposed budget for their fellow officers? There are also police officers who instead ticket the traffic violators, they would ask for settlement by means of asking money, again extortion.


Some police officers are also involve in serious killings. The most celebrated news up to now, the killings of Publicist Bobby Dacer and his driver Emanuel Corbito. The police officers are accused of doing the crime and one of them is the former Police Chief and now ready to show Senator Ping Lacson. Who would also forget the police officers who instead kill the suspect, has killed the hostaged? Lives has been lost due to arrogant actions by the police. And many more killings that involves police officers. And who would forget the police officers who plants evidences at the crime scene just to cover up their misdeed works?

PNP has still honest police officers

All these time, the Filipino people are already tired of the same old folks done by the national police. The police officers who sworn to protect the people. The police officers who sworn to serve the people. The police officers who sworn to be a good example to the people. But look at them now. It’s frustrating to say that indeed our National Police has a culture of brutality in their line.


But despite all these things, there are also ordinary police officers who are very dedicated in their service. What happens now is that all the authentic and honest police officers are being put to shame and being demoralized due to the offense made by their co-uniforms. We still have honest police officers in the land who are always ready to do what they have sworn in front of the people and what they have promised to God… and that is to serve and to protect people.