The Philippine National Police (PNP) has honored the national hero in its seal and badge through a life-sized metal sculpture of Lapu-Lapu to mark the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mactan.
What is distinctive of the metal statue made by visual artist Ram Mallari was that it was made from discarded and demilitarized gun parts of unserviceable firearms of the police, according to PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas.
"The PNP shares the national government effort to highlight Lapu-lapu and the country's pre-colonial history in the quincentennial celebration,” said Sinas during a ceremony at Camp Crame in Quezon City which was attended by former Supreme Court chief justice Diosdado Peralta.
Lapu-Lapu is the image of a Filipino ancient warrior carrying a bolo and a shield at the seal and badge of the PNP.
In the PNP website, Lapu-Lapu was described as a great Filipino hero of Mactan who symbolizes all the genuine attributes of leadership, courage, nationalism, self-reliance and a people-based and people powered community defense.
“The benevolent and heroic warrior who derived added strength from a cohesive, determined and loyal people is today a fitting symbol and a prototype as well of people power to preserve our values, customs, traditions, way of life and the rule of law thru a solidly community-based police system. Lapu-Lapu also personifies for us today civilian constitutional authority,” it read.
Lapu-Lapu was a ruler of a large community in the Visayas who led the defense against Spanish soldiers led by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Historians said the attack on the community led by Lapu-Lapu stemmed from a rivalry with another ruler who became friends with Magellan.
Historians, however, said that it was not Lapu-Lapu who personally killed Magellan but was his men during the battle but the death of the Portuguese navigator was attributed to Lapu-Lapu being the leader.
Some historians also stressed that Filipinos should do away with the narrative that Magellan discovered the Philippines, saying it insinuates that Western culture is far more superior than that of the East. They added that there were already established political and cultural structures in the country long before the arrival of Magellan.