“BE a protector of the weak and helpless or end up either in Muntinlupa or as a fugitive from justice.”

Mayor Alfredo S. Lim yesterday made what he termed as a ‘fair warning’ to the some 100 incoming members of the police force whom he met at the Manila City Hall yesterday.

Speaking in a meeting with the young, police trainees and their supervisors headed by SPO4 Jaime Guevarra of the Field Training Officers’ Development Training and the Manila Police District Station 2, Lim told the police trainees to think of their chosen profession as an opportunity to help others instead of using it as a chance to get rich quick.

“Binigyan kayo ng gob-yerno ng baril, tsapa at kapangyarihan para ipatupad ang batas at manghuli ng criminal.  If you think the easiest way to get rich is to join the police force, you are mistaken.”

In saying so, the mayor cited the case of four policemen from the MPD-Station 3 whom he ordered to be subjected to summary dismissal proceedings after being pinpointed by a group of Koreans as the ones who abducted and extorted money from them only last month.

Lim was joined in welcoming the police trainees to City Hall by his chief of staff and media bureau director Ric de Guzman as well as  department of public services ret. Col. Carlos Baltazar, former Makati and NBI operative ret. Maj. Abner Afuang  and Chief Supt. Alex Gutierrez, director of the Manila Police District,  who all gave tips on how to learn the ropes and who called on the trainees to always respect their uniform.          Baltazar and Afuang are themselves retired policemen who made a mark during their stint as officers of the law.

For his part, Gutierrez urged the trainees to make their police units proud, wherever they would be assigned and to avoid being involved in any wrongdoing, taking note that most of those engaging in illicit activities recently are mostly rookies.

Lim, whose exploits as a law enforcer made him famous and paved the way for him to be able to handle various high-level government positions, told the police trainees to be proud of the profession they have chosen, stressing that whatever he has achieved he owes to the police force.

“Kayo at ang ating mga sundalo are more important than other professionals dahil kayo lang ang nariyan para mag-alay ng buhay para sa ibang tao at sa bansa,” he stressed.

Lim added: “Narating ko ang mga posisyon na hawak ko dahil  nagpulis ako. ’Yan ang puhunan ko kaya huwag kayong maniwala sa mga kantiyaw and just do your duties.          “Ngayon pa lang isipin n’yo na kung kayo ba ay nariyan para maging matinong pulis o para maghanap ng pera.  Dahil kung pera ang hanap n`yo, ngayon pa lang,ang isang paa n`yo ay nasa kulungan na.” 

This early, Lim advised the incoming policemen to keep in mind and heart the oath they have taken so as not to be led astray.

The mayor said that as policemen, they should never worry about encountering charges arising from their lawful performance of duties because these are occupational hazards.

“Huwag kayong matakot dahil pinasok n’yo ’yan eh.Street life is different from classroom theories. You have to be decisive.  You can’t control charges but you have to be prepared,” Lim said, as he advised them to also find time to read some law books and learn.

Citing his own experience of once being belittled for being ‘just a policeman’, Lim told the trainees that they should take such insults as a challenge to prove that they deserve the trust and confidence of the people through good work.

“Keep in mind that you are here to help the weak and the helpless, not to get rich.  Those of you who will use your position to extort money may get away with it once or twice but definitely, the law will catch up with you and you will end up a fugitive of justice.  Take that as a fair warning,” he stressed.

As policemen, Lim also told the trainees that they should protect the good and law-abiding citizens and not those engaging in nefarious activities.

“Ang mamamayan ay nakatingin sa inyo with the expectation that you will protect and safeguard their rights, hindi `yung bantay-salakay.  You should be the role model or exemplar of obeying the laws instead of being the violators simply because you have the gun and the authority,” Lim underscored.