Policemen dream of spending New Year’s Eve with families

FRUIT salad.

This is the favorite dessert of PO1 Norman Martus of the Regional Public Safety Batallion (RPSB) 7. He is a member of the team that secured the Capitol grounds yesterday, New Year’s Eve.

“I requested for it,” he said in Cebuano.

He was sure he could taste its sweetness with his family during the media noche, for his home is just a few blocks away from the Capitol. When his duty ends at 8 p.m., he said, he would drive his motorcycle straight to his home in Barangay Camputhaw, Cebu
City.

Martus said they were suppose to take a break today, but their vacation was cancelled as they were deployed to secure the Capitol since Dec. 19, when Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia decided to stay in her office, defying a six-month suspension order from Malacañang.

He said they will just wait for an instruction from their commander as to when they can take their break.

But ducking out to have a quick dinner with the family would be impossible for PO1 Bueno Nengasca Jr., also of the RPSB 7.

Nengasca’s parents live in the southwestern Cebu town of Aloguinsan, about 59 kilometers from Cebu City. He said he would be alone in the house of his sister in Talisay City when his duty ends.

“Saon ta man layo man kaayo amoa (My home is in a remote town),” he said. “Trabaho man ta (I have to work).”

Wish

His three siblings have gone home for the media noche and the birthday of their father, Bueno Sr., who turned 54 yesterday. Bueno Jr. said he greeted his father last Sunday night.

Last Dec. 25, he was able to celebrate Christmas with his family in Talisay City, though.

This is the second time the 31-year-old rookie police officer observed the New Year alone. Bueno Jr., who became a full-pledged policeman in 2011, said he has no girlfriend to spend time with.

“Lain kaayo, imbes maglipay-lipay mi tapok-tapok sa pamilya naa ko diri,” he said. “Nanghinaot mi mahuman na diri (Instead of spending the holidays with our family, we’re here. We hope this will be over soon).”

Nengasca and Martus wished for good health so they can continue serving the public.