Do what’s right, top police academy grad urges class

VALEDICTORY ADDRESS Newly commissioned Insp. Fritz John Vallador gives his valedictory address to the Maragtas Class of the Philippine National Police Academy during its commencement exercises on Wednesday. —JOAN BONDOC

CAMP MARIANO CASTAÑEDA, Cavite — This year’s topnotcher of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) is encouraging fellow graduates to do only what is right, as refusing to do so is “worse than corruption and just plain cowardice.”

Newly commissioned Insp. Fritz John Vallador reiterated the principles of justice and integrity as he vowed to lead the new public safety officers joining the PNP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

“Justice is simply the virtue that promotes fair play. It is to reward the good and to punish the evil,” Vallador said at the 39th Commencement Exercises of the PNPA on Wednesday.

He said integrity was not only pure honesty but also upholding ethical standards.

“As future public safety officers, we will always know what is right and not to do what is right is worse than corruption. It will be plain cowardice,” he added.

‘Probinsyano’

Vallador, 24, from Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, shared how difficult his life was as a “probinsyano.”

“When I entered PNPA, I was literally a nobody. I came from different areas in Negros Occidental; our family often changed residences in our province,” he said.

Vallador said his mother had left for Spain to work as a domestic helper while he barely knew his father. He was left to the care of his grandparents, who were fisherfolk in Negros.

“I lived a simple life with my grandparents. We did not have electricity and running water then,” he said.

As a boy, there were times he had to work as a househelp or scavenge metal and plastic scraps that he sold to junk shops.

Adopted

He was in the fifth grade when he was adopted by a couple, a close acquaintance of his grandparents, who supported him through college and later at the PNPA.

“When you are in deepest pain and solitude, the love for family is one of the greatest motivating forces that will conquer all adversities,” Vallador said.

One hundred six members of the PNPA Maragtas Class of 2018 graduated, 76 of whom are joining the PNP, 13 the BJMP and 17 the BFP.

Maragtas stands for Magiting at Responsableng Alagad ng Batas na Gagabay sa Transpormasyong Alay sa Bayang Sinilangan.

Flowers, ring

In his valedictory address, Vallador also thanked a “special someone” whose “eyes and smiles” he said he would forever admire.

It was also a special day for another graduate.

Insp. May Ann Bijuna, 25, was teary-eyed when she saw her boyfriend of four years, Insp. Thomas Allabo show up with a bouquet of flowers and a ring.

Allabo, 26, and a graduate of the PNPA Class of 2015, popped the question right after the traditional throwing of the “shako” (cylindrical hat with a plume) at the end of the program.

Allabo, currently assigned to the PNP Special Action Force, said he and Bijuna went to the same Christian church in Novaliches even before they entered the police academy.

“I’ve been waiting for this day. I can’t think of any other perfect time (to propose to her),” Allabo said.