PNP lauds Tabuk cop for showing compassion

MANILA, Philippines — A police officer earned praise for showing compassion to a single father caught stealing a box of milk for his infant child at a supermarket in Tabuk City, Kalinga last week.

Police said the man was caught attempting to leave a store in Barangay Bulanao without paying for the 1.7-kilo box of baby formula.

During questioning, the man said he lost his job after a construction project ended and was struggling to feed his baby after his wife left them.

Out of desperation, the man said he tried to take the milk to feed his child.

Lt. Col. Jack Angog, Tabuk City police chief, upon learning about his circumstances, decided to pay for the milk to spare him from detention and to give him a chance to start over.

Angog said he is a father himself and understood the predicament, adding that the man deserves compassion rather than punishment.

Acting Philippine National Police chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. commended Angog for his act of compassion while still upholding the law.

“We do not condone wrongdoing, but we understand that sometimes, crimes stem from hunger or hardship. This reflects the human side of policing – enforcing the law with a heart,” Nartatez said.

He stressed that the case was handled within legal bounds and that no procedures were violated.

“The law must always be applied, but we must also consider the human condition behind every case. Not every case should end in jail. Sometimes, what people need is help, not punishment,” he added.

Nartatez directed police officers to show both firmness and empathy in handling similar cases, urging them to coordinate with social welfare offices and local governments to extend aid to people driven by poverty or desperation.