Outnumbered and outfought?
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
TWO weeks ago, the newly designated chief of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, P/Col. Rollyfer Capoquian made a declaration that assured Pangasinenses of a police unit that communities could rely on.
Mr. Capoquian said he will focus on a mission anchored on “PNP (Pulis ng Pangasinan) Magaling at Maasahan,” whose thrust will be closer cooperation with communities and increased police visibility. Then he promptly ordered the reshuffling of police chiefs to effectively maintain peace and order during the election period.
To that, I said I hope he will always mean what he says, says what he means. Apparently, that will not be the case.
Last week, he already made half-excuses for a not-so-successful mission in the months ahead unlike what he wanted us to believe during his first press conference.
After a projecting a legacy that would have made Pangasinenses proud of his vision and leadership, came his alibi that his command is undermanned!
Translation: His command will not be fully effective in making his pledged higher police visibility a reality because many of his personnel are tied up with administrative tasks, i.e., preparing reports of whatever at the police stations.
So now Mr. Capoquian is telling us since his command is outnumbered so he should not be made accountable if he’s unable to deploy more personnel to increase police visibility.
Whatever happened to the rallying call of the forefather of PNP – the Philippine Constabulary – “Always outnumbered, never outfought”!
Mr. Capoquian was right in reiterating that law enforcement is his command’s priority and police visibility is the way. So why the alibi today, knowing that accomplishing administrative work, i.e., preparing and submitting reports, etc., alone will not improve law enforcement?
It’s hard to believe that the PNP provincial command (including all police stations across the province) cannot deploy enough personnel to deter the commission of crimes.
All towns and cities already have lowly paid personnel of Public Order and Safety Office doing what the police have been doing for the past decades. So where are the police, now that POSO personnel have taken over management of traffic?
A police chief with only 15 uniformed personnel can deploy a three-man team to oversee strict enforcement of the law in the streets. Their visibility would already deliver the desired impact that the police can be depended on to impose discipline.
No, Mr. Capoquian, being undermanned can never be an acceptable alibi because proper management and deployment of limited resources based on priorities can always beat the enemy.
Kung gusto, maraming paraan, kung ayaw, maraming dahilan?
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MCH CAN’T BE A DONE DEAL. The Dagupan sanggunian, mayor’s office and the DOH may have agreed in principle to pursue the establishment of the Mother and Child Hospital, including the location for it – the vacated LTO office – and a new building design to adjust to limited area.
But one issue remains unsettled.
The DPWH has not certified that constructing below the bridge will not affect its foundation. And equally important is the certification that the area is not a flood-prone area!
A hospital that will not be accessible 24/7 can unduly delay delivery of medical services.
Given these unsettled issues, the DOH should assert its authority as the project proponent not to construct the hospital in the LT0-vacated area and insist on its property in Dagupan City. Failing that, it will regret later it didn’t.
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STILL OBSTRUCTIONISTS. The same 7 epaLiFes councilors who filed their certificates of candidacies are still bent on obstructing progress in Dagupan City.
They boycotted the October 15 session when the reporting of the proposed 2025 annual budget and the Annual Investment Plan (supplemental) on first reading was scheduled. Their absence ensured that an endorsement to the Committee of Appropriations for second reading will be delayed.
Could Councilors Red Erfe-Mejia, Alfie Fernandez, Celia Chua-Lim, Alvin Coquia, Irene Lim-Acosta and Marilou Fernandez still be hoping they can get their bounty in return for the early passage of the 2025 budget?
And they still expect the INC to continue supporting them after this?
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PRRD VS. QUADCOM. The QuadCom at the House of Representatives is risking the “unity” call of PBBM if it insists on requiring PRRD to attend its hearings on the drug war to explain his supposed hand in creating the rewards system. Their sense is, he won’t consider appearing at all and that they think would bolster their position damning him as a wicked and most despicable president the country ever had. But what if he did?
It would be disastrous for the QuadCom if PRRD decides to show up at the hearing. Imagine him disrupting the proceedings, questioning, their basis and motive for the hearings and telling them off bluntly, not mincing a word.
I can only imagine the uproar in social media, most everyone expressing support for him vs. the QuadCom!
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