‘POLICE work is no joke’
He said he dreamed to become a police officer but his height prevented him from being one.
Last April 30, Chito Aragon’s dream came true when he was assigned as acting city director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) for a day.
Aragon, DyLA reporter, and correspondent of Cebu Daily News and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, said when he took over his post as acting city director and visited one of the police precincts, a police officer did not notice that he was the acting city director and asked him who he was.
“Kung wala ko nagsul-ob ug police shirt, dili jud siya kaila nako.” (If I didn’t wear a police shirt, he wouldn’t know that I was the acting city director.) Aragon said in an interview.
Aragon said the police officer asked him what his role was and the cop immediately saluted him when told that he was the acting city director.
Members of the Defense and Police Press Corp (DEPP) were able to experience police work for 24 hours during the Police-Media Interaction Day (Police-MIND) last April 30.
The Police-MIND was the first program that gave police beat reporters a chance to become a police chief or station commander for a day.
The Police-MIND aimed to encourage transparency in police activities and operations, empower the private sector, know the policemen better and promote a harmonious relationship between the police and media.
Aragon said he learned the “basic rules” of police work that journalists don’t understand.
Aragon said one of the most critical part of police work is gathering accurate information during incidents for use in filing cases and for public information.
“If the police will give inaccurate details to the media, it will ruin their work.” Aragon said in Cebuano.
Aragon, a police beat reporter for 10 years admits though that what he learned is still not enough for him to become a police official.
Aragon said leading more than 1,000 cops in Cebu City even just for a day was not easy because he needed to see the welfare of his troops and the welfare of the public.
“Dili ko mahimutang kung unsay happening in the field. Sige ko ug huna-huna if naay alarma. Mura ko ug amahan nila.” (I felt so uneasy thinking what could happen in the field. I am worried that “alarms” may happen. I’m like a father to my men), Aragon said.
Aragon said that police work is not a joke because one has to do his or her work well especially during investigations.
During his 24-hour command, reporters who acted as police chiefs seized four video carreras and moli-moli machines and arrested at least 20 persons for alleged involved in illegal activities, Aragon said.
Aragon said he realized that conducting “arrests” is not easy.
“You cannot just arrest suspicious looking persons, you need evidence and basis,” Aragon said.
Aragon said he observed that during his “actual command”, the Cebu City cops were very “enthusiastic” and “aggressive”.
Aragon said he realized that police work is not limited to manning police precincts because it also involves tedious work like filing of cases.
Aragon cited the problems of lack of manpower, equipment, and transportation, among others, that the Cebu City police is facing.
Aragon is urging the government to address this problem to improve the police’s capability.
Aragon said though that he will not allow his close relationship with the police to compromise his journalism work.
“As a journalist, I wouldn’t allow the police to use me. And I wouldn’t allow criminals to use me.” Aragon said.
Aragon recalled that he had faced a libel case filed by a police officer who was not pleased with the news he wrote. The the libel case was later dismissed.
Aragon said he will continue to write about the truth and what the public deserves to know.
Aragon was elected as president of the DEPP under the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ) September last year.
“Despite the risk, I would like to stay with the police beat because I wanted to explore the great challenge.” Aragon said.
Aragon said the Police-MIND created “history” in the Philippine National Police (PNP) because no major untoward incidents like killing and robberies happened within 24 hours when the reporters acted as police chiefs.
Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, head of the CCPO, commended the reporters for a job well done during last Tuesday’s command conference.
Buenafe said a recognition will be given to all the reporters who participated the Police-MIND on the flag-raising ceremony on Monday (May 7) at the CCPO grounds. /Rhea Ruth V. Rosell, Reporter