‘Exercise self-restraint, maximum tolerance’

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Self-control is strength and calmness is mastery.

This was the reminder of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) to its personnel in the light of yet another controversy that rocked the police organization.

“We are trained to self-restraint, as we should also exercise maximum tolerance, both in private and personal dealings,” Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, said following the shooting incident involving a police officer in Paniqui, Tarlac that led to the death of a 52-year-old mother and her son.

PSSg Jonel Nuezca shot dead Sonia Gregorio and her son Frank following a confrontation over a boga or improvised noisemaker and a dispute over right of way in their community.

“As police officers, we should know better that there’s a proper forum for everything,” Malong said.

As police officers, Malong said they should live by their mandate which is “to serve and protect.”

Malong said they are saddened by what happened since the act of one might reflect on the whole organization.

“Let me again reiterate that there’s way too many good cops out there,” she said.

The PNP national command also issued a statement condemning the incident.

PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas said “the PNP leadership strongly condemns to the highest order the criminal act committed by one of our police personnel that had gone viral.”

Further, he said that “words are not enough to assuage the feelings of the bereaved family of the victims, Mrs Sonia Gregorio and her son, Frank. But we assure them and the Filipino people that the PNP does not and will never condone any criminal act of our police officers, in particular the case involving PSSg Jonel Nuezca, as criminal action has already been initiated by the chief of police of Paniqui MPS in Tarlac where subject policeman is now placed in detention.”