EMBRACE changes.
This was the message of National Police Commission 7 Director Homer Mariano Cabaral to the personnel of Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, which celebrated yesterday the 26th founding anniversary of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“Do not fight changes in our organization,” he said in his speech. “We should be humble enough to accept our mistakes.”
Before the PNP’s creation, Cabaral said, the Philippine Constabulary maintained peace and order, and it faced similar issues hounding the police today: alleged corruption and human rights violations.
“As public servants, we should not be onion-skinned. Kinahanglan baga-baga tag nawong (We should be able to withstand criticisms),” he said.
PRO 7 Director Noli Taliño took pride in their accomplishments against illegal drugs.
From July 1, 2016 until Feb. 2 this year, police recorded 106,980 surrenderers. Various operating units arrested 5,413 pushers and killed 158 of them during legitimate operations.
Taliño and Cabaral also honored the 44 Special Action Force operatives, who were killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2015, and Senior Insp. Alexander Nuñez, who was killed by an armed man last December.
The officials were joined by Nuñez’s widow, PO3 Brigitte, and Dr. Christine Cempron and Michelle Candano, widows of SAF troopers PO3 Romeo Cempron and PO1 Windel Candano, respectively.