Provincial police to train in karate

IN LINE with the Philippine National Police (PNP) enhancement of anti-crime fighting ability, members of the Benguet Police Provincial Office signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Shin-Shin Karatedo Inc., for its combat sports program.

Benguet Police Director Benjamin Lusad said the combat sports program aims to instill discipline and enhance and develop self-defense skills of all PNP personnel as part of the PNP Physical Fitness and Sports Development Program.

“We choose karate do on the basis of overwhelming majority preference by our personnel for this form of martial arts discipline,” said Lusad during the launching and MOA signing of the combat sports program.

And with its combat sports program in tow, the Benguet–PNP has chosen Shin–Shin karate do as partner because of its wide range of instruction, sustainable martial arts training and will also be accredited to promote belt rankings for the members of the police.

Shin-shin Karate do for its part, will provide qualified and competent instructors to train PNP personnel in combat sports and allow them to use its gym and martial arts equipment free of charge subject to condition of karate rules and tenets.

“Together with Police Senior Superintendent Lusad, we envision the martial arts program to be of practical use in crime fighting,” said Shin-Shin karate do co-founder and chief instructor Ruben Tinda-an.

Meanwhile, Cordillera Police Director Benjamin Magalong said the program aims to create a standard proficiency program to develop the skills of PNP uniformed personnel in combat sports and hand to hand combat that will immensely improve their ability on self-defense and will also help them develop self-confidence.

The combat sports program was envisioned along with the PNP’s effort to address shortage of service firearms through new procurement of guns worth P1.2 billion.

Dubbed as Labanang Pampalakasan, the combat sports program will instill discipline and enhance and develop self-defense skills of all PNP personnel.

The combat sports program could also help policemen develop hand-to-hand combat and other skills to enable them to defend themselves and the community they serve.