Aquino praises PNP for persevering despite limited equipment

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III bade adieu to the Philippine National Police two days before he officially steps down from the presidency.

Keeping his farewell message short, Aquino on Tuesday delivered a 10-minute speech during the retirement honors for outgoing PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez, thanking the 160,000-strong police force for making do with what they have.

That despite limited resources and equipment, the PNP did everything it could to accomplish the mission the President had given them.

“Noon pa man, lagi ninyong ginagawa ang lahat ng inyong makakaya sa kung anong meron kayo. Kaya sa magigiting nating kapulisan, nais kong iparating sa inyo ang aking paghanga at taos-pusong pasasalamat,” Aquino said.

Aquino made no mention of one of the biggest crisis the PNP had ever faced – the death of 44 police commandos in an ill-fated operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in January last year.

He also paid tribute to Marquez and commended him for his handling of the security for the visit of Pope Francis in the country last January 2015, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Metro Manila and several provinces, and for being instrumental in preventing the spread of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the country.

Without the PNP’s unwavering service to people, Aquino said the country will not be as successful as it is at present.

“Hindi natin mararating ang kabanatang ito ng ating kasaysayan—ang punto kung kailan higit na tayong nakakapaglingkod sa Pilipino, at tinitingala na tayo ng mundo sa pagbabagong ating tinatamasa—kung wala ang inyong tiwala at pakikiambag,” he said.

“Sa inyong lahat na tapat, buong tapang at buong buhay na naglilingkod sa ating mga Boss, ang taumbayan, maraming maraming salamat.”

Before his speech, Aquino awarded Marquez service medals including the Medalya ng Kagitingan sa Paglilingkod and the Medalya ng Pambihirang Paglilingkod.