TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija, February 16, 2011-A P5-million brand-new police station building named after its former police chief who was gunned down by his drunken deputy right in front of the old police station last January 1 was inaugurated by Philippine National Police Chief Director General Raul M. Bacalzo here yesterday.
In his first official visit in the province since he became PNP chief last year following the retirement of Jesus Versoza, Balcalzo paid tribute to the late Supt. Ricardo Dayag Jr. who was gunned down by Inspector Bernardo Castro after the former tried to disarm him when the latter fired his service pistol in front of the police station past 8 pm last New years day.
As he fell on the pavement, Castro allegedly pumped more bullets on his back, pulled out another gun and finished him off. Castro is now in jail facing criminal and administrative charges while the entire 47 police force of the Talavera police was later relieved for failing to come to the aid of their fallen superior and then later underwent a one-week retraining course.
Dayag’s widow Lilia attended the inauguration and was promised by Bacalzo of assistance from Camp Crame. Bacalzo ordered Chief Supt. Alan Purisima to help fast-track the processing of claims of Mrs. Dayag.
Mayor Nerito Santos, a kumpare of Bacalzo, said the Sangguniang Bayan led by Vice Mayor Vince de Leon has passed a resolution naming the new police station as Colonel Dayag Building in honor of the dead comrade. The municipal government donated the lot housing the two-story building.
Chief Supt. Felipe Rojas Jr., deputy director of the Camp Crame-based Directorate for Logistics said they spent P5 million for the Class C building, P1.5 million was released during the term of Bacalzo.
He said that the PNP is spending an average of P100 million for the construction of new police stations all over the country.
Mrs. Dayag later told newsmen that she has not forgiven Castro yet for killing her husband. “As of now, hindi pa siguro (not yet),” she said. As a single parent, she said she is doing her best to make both ends meet for their five children left by her husband, including his eldest who is taking up law at St. Louis University in Baguio City.
Bacalzo, who was provincial director here in 2001, said the 135,000-strong police force is now undertaking a rigid retraining course in line with the back-to-basics policy of the PNP. He said had the Talavera police been retrained much earlier, the incident involving Dayag would not have happened. “This is the first time that a whole police station undergoes training from the police chief to PO1 (Police Officer 1) to develop camaraderie,” he said.
He added that the back-to-the basics campaign involves two components namely the virtue of courtesy and discipline and good manners and right conduct; and basic skill of policing.
He said police officers even to the level of provincial directors are asked to demonstrate in front of guests the proper way of arresting people.
Bacalzo admitted that the first two weeks of January was the most trying for the PNP when 14 policemen were involved in eight high-profile cases. He said, however, that in spite of these controversies involving lawmen, they were just a small fraction of the 135,000-strong police force.
“In fairness to our good policemen, I still believe that they are performing their jobs well,” he said, adding lawmen should not get distracted by these incidents but to consider these as lessons learned.
Bacalzo later administered the oath of office of the new officers of the Association of Police Chiefs of the Philippines. He was also awarded a plaque of appreciation by the municipal government. (Jason de Asis)
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