GMA is Camp Crame guest

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead today’s ceremonies in Camp Crame for returning members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) contingents to the United Nations’ peace-keeping missions in Kosovo and East Timor.

Her visit is a reiteration of support for the PNP, which played a significant role in the people’s uprising last January.

PNP chief Director Gen. Leandro Mendoza and Interior and Local Government Secretary Joey Lina will join the president and other key government and police officials in a Holy Mass at 7 a.m. at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center. The traditional flag-raising follows at 8 a.m.

Mendoza, underscoring the PNP’s support for the administration, will present the "PNP’s Response to the People’s Will."

Police officials noted that Arroyo’s visit boosts police morale in light of reports that some groups are out to destabilize the present government.

PNP spokesman, Chief Superintendent Crescencio Maralit, said a contingent of 38 Filipino policemen under Superintendent Carmelo Valmoria returned home last month after a year’s tour of duty in war-torn Kosovo.

Another contingent of 83 PNP personnel under Superintendent Buenaventura Plantado arrived from East Timor last March.

At present, there are 62 Filipino policemen serving under the UN in Kosovo, while 105 others were deployed recently to the UN Transitional Authority in East Timor.

A fully-equipped battalion-sized contingent from the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) will display their expertise to the President.

The contingent of 460 new police recruits, is set to be deployed for patrol operations in different parts of Metro Manila.

Maralit added, an initial batch of 50 new police investigators will be distributed to the five Metro police districts.

The PNP also announced that the Traffic Management Group under Chief Superintendent Renato Paredes is assigning at least 600 more traffic policemen to the Metro area. – Christina Mendez