‘Bato’ to PNPA top grads: Don’t be blinded by money

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa presents top 10 cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy’s “Masidlak” Class of 2017. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net

Don’t let money and power blind you.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa gave nuggets of advice to the top cadets of the PNP Academy (PNPA) “Masidlak” Class of 2017 when they paid their top commander a courtesy call a day before their graduation on Friday.

Dela Rosa told the top 10 cadets, the cream of the crop in their class, not to allow power and money to mar their career as new inspectors.

Six of them will be assigned to the PNP, two will be serving as officers of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the other two will be assigned to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

“Advice ko sa kanila, huwag magpasilaw sa pera. Kapag namatay kayo, hindi niyo madadala ang pera sa langit kaya trabaho lang nang trabaho,” Dela Rosa shared to the media in a press conference after their meeting at Camp Crame.

(My advice to them, do not be blinded by money. When you die, you cannot bring money to heaven, so just focus on your work.)

He also advised them not to be picky when it comes to areas where they will be deployed. Dela Rosa asked them to avoid seeking help from their connections to ask for assignments.

Be it in war-torn areas like Basilan or Maguindanao, Dela Rosa said they should be prepared to be sent anywhere in the country.

“I advised them to let the good times roll. Huwag kayong mamili ng assignment. ‘Wag kayong lumapit sa mga pulitiko or influential government officials na i-assign kayo sa ganitong unit dahil d’yan mag-start ang hindi magandang takbo ng career niyo, kapag napakailaman na ng ibang tao,” he said.

(Do not be choosy with assignments. Do not ask politicians and influential government officials to assign you to specific units because that will signal the downfall of your careers, if other people take control of it.)

Cadet Macdum Enca, the class valedictorian whom President Rodrigo Duterte will award the Presidential Kampilan on Friday, stressed that in the academy, they were taught to embody the core values of justice, integrity and service.

READ: Muslim youth leader, Badjao top PNPA grads

“We can assure the public that we can serve, we can even risk our own lives para makapagserve sa bayan (so we may serve the country_,” Enca, who hails from Cotabato City, said.

Other top ranking cadets were: Midzfar Omar (Tawi-Tawi), second; Janace Elcid Pascua Layug (Tondo, Manila), third; Juan Paulo Alday Porciuncula (Sta. Maria, Bulacan), fourth; Harley Glenn Bacarro Galpo (Cagayan de Oro City), fifth; Sailani Bacarat Armama (Cagayan de Oro City), sixth; Michael Salendab Daunotan (Sultan Kudarat), seventh; Ian Rey Canen Diolanto (Polomolok, South Cotabato), eighth; Michael John Suniega Sentinta (Isulan, Sultan Kudarat), ninth; and Maysy Villaflor Cataquiz (Quezon), tenth. IDL/rga