New inspectors, families shed tears of joy after PNPA graduation

PHOTOS BY JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS

SILANG, Cavite—As soon as the new inspectors from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Masundayaw” Class of 2016 threw their “shako” in the air, the cadets—who endured rigorous physical and mental training for four years inside a camp— burst into tears upon finally seeing their family and loved ones.

Male and female cadets crying and hugging their parents, families taking photos with the new graduates to immortalize the occasion were some of the scenes on the grounds of Camp Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite after the two-hour long ceremony.

It was both an emotional and proud moment for the mother of Police Inspector Karl Vincent Centinaje. When INQUIRER.net asked her how she felt that her son is finally out of the academy, Mrs. Centinaje said: “Sobrang saya ko gumraduate na anak ko” and then paused to shed a tear.

Her 22-year-old son will join the PNP along with 215 members of the Masundayaw class.

In an interview moments after the graduation rites, Insp. Centinaje said he was only expecting his mother to attend the event but he was surprised to see his other relatives who flew to Silang from the province to witness his graduation.

He said he felt so relieved that he finally graduated from the academy. “We’ve long waited for this. It was so difficult because we’re away from our families,” he said.

Insp. Centinaje’s entire family are based in Borongan, Eastern Samar. His father, he said, was his upperclassman or his fellow PNPA alumnus Superintendent Carlos Centinaje of Class 1986.

The older Centinaje was then assigned at the Police Community Relations Office of Eastern Visayas Regional Police at the time of the onslaught of Typhoon “Ruby” in the province in 2014. Insp. Centinaje, an only child, said his father was his role model.

After graduating from high school, Insp. Centinaje entered the PNPA. Asked to describe the cadetship training, he said: “It was hell, I swear. I really can’t believe that I survived. That’s why after throwing this shako…” He didn’t finish his sentence and just let out a sigh.

Now that the training days are over, the new cop said he’s feeling proud and nervous at the same time. “We feel nervous because we’re facing the outside world but we’re also confident with what the academy had taught us,” he said.

He said he’s willing to be assigned at any PNP unit. Sixteen of his classmates will join the Bureau of Fire Protection and while 22 chose to serve at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.