Mamang Pulis II HE SAYS Aldrin Cardon 08/30/2010

Mamang Pulis II

HE SAYS

Aldrin Cardon

08/30/2010
Last week, I wrote about the different faces of the Filipino policeman, those which were far from the straight-bodied, nice looking “Mamang Pulis” of old who commanded respect from the community, as he has become worse than a monster — the kotong cop hated by drivers and commuters; the pulis patola who is far worse than what Dolphy did his policeman’s job in the movies for laughs; and the torturer whose existence was confirmed by the video leaked by his own kind.

Also last week, however, another face of the Filipino policeman surfaced: that of an extortion expert, a hostage-taker and later, when he knew his drama was going nowhere, that of a murderer and one-man cause of shame of a country whose leadership could not effectively deal with his kind.

It is somehow stupefying to see the nation now delving into the what ifs and would-have-beens as a result of the hostage drama in front of the Quirino Grandstand, where the country’s glorious history was once made, only to be eclipsed by this one shameful act that brought forward our worst.

Police officials are pointing at each other, the Manila mayor is denying his botched role in the siege, senators are enjoying their moments grilling the officials involved, and Malacañang not knowing what happened. These are the various backdrops that further exposed government’s weaknesses in dealing with crisis..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/