BELOW THE LINE ByAMBASSADOR JOSE ABETO ZAIDE Ambassador José Abeto Zaide There is a Filipino children’s game we played, which began with a ditty about pulis under the bridge… It continued in the next line with the flatfoot holding a sandwich, “May sukbit/ na sandwich/ ang pulis/ sa ilalim ng tulay….” And continued, “May asong/ kingat/ ang sandwich/ na hawak/ nang pulis/ sa ilalim ng tulay…”  A simple rule: Add a new character and repeat all the previous lines  -   so that the ditty got longer…  It went on and on, adding what-you-will…bombero…labandera….pusa…titser…etcetera ad infinitum…as long as players connected and recalled the sequence of previous characters. It always ended when players mis-called. In this children’s game, the pulis is a friendly.

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Recent events and headline news have disturbingly tarnished the image of our police force. A few bad eggs can spoil rotten the image of an entire force. In the ongoing Senate investigation chaired by Senator Dick Gordon, there are two contending sides: Former PNP generals Rudy Lacadin, Benjamin Maalong, and PDEA Director Aaron Aquino vs. Oscar David Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police. It revolves around a riveting cops and robbers story of 13 policemen who were previously under Albayalde when he was Pampanga provincial police chief. The 13 were involved in an anomalous drug operation. That illegal operation led to an order to dismiss the cops; but the order was never implemented and later downgraded to a demotion. The wonder of it all is that the case has resurfaced now that PNP chief Albayalde is to retire next month on 8 November. The case of the 13 officers has to be resolved with despatch, in fairness to the accused and to the general public.

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ASIDE:  When there are serious cases pending against police officers, is it be possible to assign those under the radar to office duties without interfacing with the public or the normal police work? They may be given responsible duties that keeps them out of harm’s way.  That is only in fairness to those under suspicion and to the general public,

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There are 17,500 men and women in the police force (a ratio of 1:1,572). PNP objective is to raise the numbers to 1:489 police to population by 2022 by aggressive recruitment. A goal devoutly wished… when PNP has put its house in order.

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BTW. The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio which turns out our officers in the Philippine Armed Forces is in hot water over the fatal incident and excesses because of hazing . Egay Velasco, an ex-PMAer and honorary member of the graduating class ’64 tells of a PMA  code of conduct:  When exams are given  -  the solutions are all written on the blackboard.  But all cadets remain facing down answering their test papers.  Nobody looks up until everyone has submitted test papers. Do they have anything approximating this code of conduct in the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in Silang, Cavite?

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BILIBD OR NOT DEPT.  Will wonders never cease? It is a revelation to see the extent of deconstruction of “unofficial residences” in Muntinlupa under the watch of the new Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Quitaleg Bantag.  Prohibited drugs, sex toys and cell phones were among the items seized as shelters or kubol inside the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) were demolished by authorities.  Do not bother to ask how much the previous overseers Nicanor Faeldon, Ronald M. dela Rosa and those before them knew about the structures. FEEDBACK: [email protected]