Obama masks boost PNP safety drive

Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz, chief of the PNP’s Community Relations Group, leads the distribution in Quezon City of Halloween masks including that of US President Barack Obama with crime prevention tips printed at the back. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Members of the community relations arm of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have started distributing to the public horror-themed masks, including one of US President Barack Obama, with safety tips for the Halloween season printed on the back.

Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz, director of the PNP Police Community Relations Group, was quick to explain, however,  that the inclusion of an Obama mask was not intended as a put-down of the US leader after President Duterte announced a government pivot away from longtime ally America.

In fact, Cruz said, the PNP decided to use the Obama mask “in a good way” as they pique the public’s curiosity.

Duterte mask, too

“We’ve been getting many requests to produce Obama masks. So I thought, there’s no problem with that. We use the people’s curiosity to relay our objective of teaching them crime prevention tips,” Cruz said in an interview with Inquirer.net on Friday.

Cruz, who led the distribution of masks at different establishments and train stations in Quezon City on Thursday, said there was also a mask of President Duterte but this was worn by only one of the cops in the group.

Asked how the people reacted upon receiving the spooky masks, Cruz said he was glad none of the masks went straight to the trash.

“They just throw away flyers. So now, they keep the masks, they bring them home and give them to their children. We don’t want our project to go to waste. We will implement projects that will catch the people’s attention,” he said.