What the Hell Are You Doing At The Checkpoint?

This is just an observation from what I had read from the news.

Recently, the mass murder of 57 people in Maguindanao drew international outcry and immediately demand fast-phase outcome on the investigation to give due justice to victim and severe punishment whoever masterminded the heinous crime. We have the mayor behind bar right now, though he has been tagged as the one who allegedly lead the killings, this needs to be proven in court.

In my observation, there was a funny thing in one of the statements of two fine Philippine National Police (PNP) officials, they admitted being there and made their statements collaborate with each other. But there was an element in the statement of the senior officer that is quite vague, and that is the idea of his present in a checkpoint being the deputy provincial director. It doesn't make sense to me at all.

In the provision of revised Rules of Engagement of the PNP, manning a check point should always be officer-led, to oversee and supervise the conduct of the checkpoit. A police inspector is just right to be in the checkpoint. Maybe I can tell that the junior officer is still rookie in the service and maybe he had just got out from the academy few years back. We all know that most of these newly graduate cadets are still "principled officers" in their early years. Although some of them get rotten as they age in the service, the rest remain loyal and guided by our police creed. That is why in my opinion, his sworn statement on his involvement is true-to-the-line while the other statement executed by his senior officer is quite a "rider affidavit" and seems being unprepared for the consequence.

This was supposedly a simple road choke point operation, an ordinary security measure along the provincial road, why was it need for him to be there being the second in command in the PNP provincial hierarchy? I don't know the answer actually, but the only thing comes in my mind while reading the news was that...maybe he is executing a "special instruction" and unfortunately behind that instruction he did not have any idea what will comes next, or there was a change of plan that he was no longer aware of during the course of executing the plan... well maybe.

For a special trained officer, the arrival of 100 fully armed men is not supposed to be surprising since their gears and boots will not make them soundless. Before these guys arrived at the scene, where were they hiding or sit-waiting, may 50 meters away from the checkpoint? They cannot just run and rally at that point undetected. Someone knew it beforehand.

Where were the intelligence officers, had they not get across with advance information? The formation and movement of 100 personnel is not so hard to detect. Had the intelligence noticed the misplacement of the CVO personnel? Where were they massing up? I don't think that the traffic group has the duty to monitor every "tick of the clock".

In my opinion, there should be a major rotation next time for all key personnel few months before election, those assigned in the south should be transferred to the north in order to avoid siding to and being used by politicians during this period.

I don't know..but for some ungodly reasons, I am just asking....what the hell are you doing in the checkpoint, Sir?

Where a great history was about to happen and you were perfectly out there.

Who was in the wrong place and at the wrong time then?

DARNA CARRIES DING...UNBECOMING!

(How's the ride BG Marciano Ilagan, sir?)

I have received recently an email being circulated around the internet regarding unpleasant photo (above) of an Air Force general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. I am not sure about the origin of the email but I am positive it was from a civilian.

It reminds of Darna and Ding.

Let me bring you a little back in time, more than a decade maybe.

I was with the Philippine National Police for quite a long time before I decided to go out and live a peaceful and simple life. But my basic militray introduction and orientation was mostly of the air force, being a reservist of this branch. I used to be the Wing Commander of the ROTC back in my college days, and was Troop Commander of the whole reservist during AFP reservist days back in 1993 when Gen. Edgardo Pantilla ordered my relief from post right at the end of the "Pasam Masid" (Pass and Review) because of a wrong cadence of mine. I was really embarassed, but I had to accept that as an honorable cadet officer of the Sandiwa Class of 93. However, I finished my Probationary Second Lieutentant Course (MS-43) in 1994.

I was supposed to join candidate school in Tanay, unfortunately, during those times the "anak ng Diyos" had the priority, my name was knocked out from the list along with other "anak ng maglulupa" who were in the list prior to jump-off.

From our very young age, we endured physical training on a daily basis, and military hazing was part of it. We never complained as this is our choice as man, as part of shaping us to become man among men. Although this is not really accepted in Filipino society, cariño militar is far from civilian fraternity initiations and I agree to have this in all forms of police and military training. Com'on drop down that eye brow. Ours is objective and done professionally, rigid and risky but useful in real combat operations.

Also, in most of our military courses, leadership and drill and ceremeny were always part of the curriculum because that is how the militray life is all about -- living under commands and orders.

That's why when I entered the PNP, it was easy for me to cope up along with my fellow AFP reservists. Actually most of us during recruit days held important positions in the corps of PNP-Aviation Security Group Kaagapay Class of 1996. I was the platoon leader of first platoon, while Classmate Jose Rico Lanoria was the class marcher (he is now a Police Chief Inspector).

But the point of this blogpost is the photo above. I cannot talk and explain so much about it since the picture spoke about itself. You can relate the fine officer's weter-sensitivity to that US soldier in the background, to the man carrying him, to the fight with the Abu Sayyaf and other rebels, and to all aspects of military discipline. Maybe the general had forgotten his Military Professionalism and opted to be dried and clean.

Well, he is in clear position to say, " I am not a navy man". So he needs to fly in the air just like Ding, Darna's sidekick.

Hydrophobia? Does photo suggest he can fight anywhere but never in waters, never under the rains and he needs an umbrella while marching on parade ground.

Good luck sir, fly high and hope you can bring a good example out of your attitude, may you be a part of all military trainings and classroom instructions as typical example of a "good officer."

"As I am not speaking for all the members of the Kaagapay Class in this opinion, I hope the fine general also does not represent everyone in the AFP."

Our Snappy Salute to President Cory Aquino

The Class Kaagapay 1996, PNP- Aviation Security Group rendered the most snappy salute to President Corazon C. Aquino. Our condolences to her family and to the entire Filipino Nation for our great lost of a true freedom fighter and world icon of democracy.

Ten years before the Kaagapay passed through the portal of Camp Vicente Lim, in Calamba, Laguna as graduates and as full-pledge members of the Philippine National Police, Madam Cory led the nation to a real democracy and this part of the history is her gift to our generations.

She lived a great, meaningful and patriotic life.

Kaagapay, Tanghal... na!

111th PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY

I can stand now and feel proud with this shirt

LET WHATEVER WE DO SHALL BENEFIT THE NATION AT THE END OF THE DAY…

THE PRICE FOR FREEDOM WILL NEVER BE OF PESO NOR OF A PIECE OF MOMENTO,

BUT OF A PRICELESS FLESH AND BLOODS,

OF TEARS AND BRUISES OF THE HEART,

OF PAINFUL FLIGHT TO LEAVE THE FAMILY BEHIND,

OF PERSONAL SACRIFICES IN FRONT OF THE ELECTED,

OF EXPLOITATION, LIES AND TAKING LIFE,

OF EVENTUAL GRID,

AND CLENCHED-FIST CONTROL OF THE FREED MIGHTY.

THE FIGHT NEVER ENDS

STAND UP TODAY, OR NEVER FOREVER !

I AM AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY !

CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION NOT NOW..NOT TODAY!

DEFINITELY NOT ON THIS ADMINISTRATION!

Full-blooded:

PNP-ASG KAAGAPAY CLASS OF 1996

Phil. Guardians Brotherhood, Inc.

Astig Pinoy-Iraq here in Afghanistan