Service first for PNP this Lent

For men of the Philippine National Police (PNP), service comes first during the Lenten season.

Unlike other breadwinners who will get a chance to be with loved ones in their hometowns during the traditional Holy Week break, most policemen will be working fulltime to guard against possible terror attacks by Abu Sayyaf bandits.

"For us, Holy Week will be like an ordinary work week. We have to report for work and ensure the safety of the general public," said 53-year-old Senior Police Officer 1 Selino Silvestre, 53.

Silvestre, leader of a team assigned to guard one of the gates of Camp Crame, the PNP main headquarters located in Quezon City. He has been in service for 32 years and can hardly recall the last time he spent Holy Week with his wife and three children.

Silvestre will be joining 100,000 uniformed personnel of the PNP who have to be on duty during Holy Week.

The senior police officer said the entire police force has been on full alert as a result of threats of a possible retaliatory attack by the Abu Sayyaf in the aftermath of the Bagong Diwa jail assault.

"Nasanay na rin ang pamilya ko na kailangang unahin ang serbisyo sa mamamayan kasi ito ang aking sinumpaang tungkulin," said Silvestre, whose family lives in Tarlac.

Silvestre said he did not have a difficult time making his wife, who works as a teacher, understand.

"My wife understands the nature of my job because she is also a dedicated public servant, being a teacher for more than three decades," he said.

Policemen and soldiers have been deployed to crowded areas like malls, churches and transportation terminals to ensure the safety of the general public and prevent any terror attack.

PNP chief Director General Arturo Lomibao also instructed guards of malls to improve security measures to prevent terrorists from sneaking explosives into their establishments.

Silvestre’s team does not spare from inspection a single vehicle that enters the camp.

"We don’t want to let our guard down," said Silvestre, who vowed to make Camp Crame safe from any attack.

"How can we assure the general public of their safety if any untoward incident takes place right inside the camp. So the pressure is on us," the officer said.