Courage, honesty of cops

The wife of Insp. Dexter Basirga, Boljoon municipal police chief, recalled advising him to become a public utility vehicle (PUV) driver instead of becoming a cop because of the inherent dangers associated with his job.

Her fears were justified following Basirga’s brush with death after leading his men in an operation against a criminal gang who had been preying on farmers in the towns of Alcoy, Dalaguete and Boljoon for sometime now.

Basirga managed to survive despite sustaining stomach and shoulder gunshot wounds inflicted by the escaping gang members. That encounter led to the deaths of Arnel Coronel and John Michael Mejares.

Even if he was wounded, he managed to drive himself to the nearest hospital.

For his efforts, he was awarded the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting by the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas and was given P10,000 in medical assistance. That may not be much, but Basirgo didn’t exactly become a policeman only to earn a living.

“These criminals have been dominating the community. They should learn to fear the law and the police,” Basirgo was quoted as telling reporters while confined in one of Cebu City’s hospitals.

Basirgo’s story is yet just one shining example of the courage displayed by Filipino police officers either on the field or within the confines of their police precincts that are mostly ignored by a public who has been engrossed with the latest political scandal and tale of corruption.

It doesn’t help that one of these reports on corruption involved the top official of the Philippine National Police – Director General Alan Purisima. Indeed, the PNP has received more flak than praise over the years, no thanks to corrupt officers who abuse their position to extract favors from the lowly kotong of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers to bribes amounting to millions of pesos.

On the bright side, there are officers like SPO1 Jennifer Cabando Atanacio of the Bohol Provincial Police Office who returned the excess P100,000 from a loan she contracted at the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loan Association Inc. (AFPSLAI)-Tagbilaran Extension office.

For her simple act of honesty Atanacio, who was also cited as the 2005 Best Policewoman in Bohol, was awarded the PNP Commendation Medal by Purisima last Sept. 3.

Thanks also to social networking sites like Facebook, cops on the beat were also lauded for helping people on the street just as often as those who were caught extorting money from apprehended motorists and PUV drivers.

We may never be able to fully appreciate the sacrifices made by Filipino police personnel in the performance of their duties, and there may be more bad eggs in their ranks but for the most part, we are glad that they are out there doing their utmost performing their mandate to serve and protect us, Filipinos.