180 police recruits take oath

CEBU, Philippines - Over a hundred successful police recruits took their oath yesterday morning at the parade grounds of the Police Regional Office-7.

Chief Supt. Lani-O Nerez, director of PRO-7, led the oath-taking at 8 a.m. yesterday of the 180 successful Police Officers 1 who bested over 400 applicants in the 2nd Semester Attrition Recruitment 2009 of the Philippine National Police.

Nerez congratulated the recruits for passing the different stages of the recruitment. He said that there are actually 231 applicants who passed the recruitment but since the quota for the second semester is only 180, the remaining 51 successful recruits will serve as reserves for the organization.

The new batch of PO1s pledged before Nerez and to the PNP that they will “serve and protect the people” and “follow the rules and regulations governing the PNP organization.”

Supt. Marciano Batiancela, acting chief of the PRO-7 Regional Personnel and Human Resource Doctrine and Development, turned over the recruits to Supt. Rex Urbano of the Regional Training School-7.

The recruits will undergo basic training for six months at the RTS-7 in Gaas, Balamban town and another six months soon for their Field Training Program.

Nerez, in his speech, told the recruits that the yoke upon their shoulders now is in itself the big challenge. “Dako ang challenge nga naa sa inyong mga abaga, but simple lang inyong buhaton: Just follow legal orders,” he said.

The PRO-7 director likewise asked the families of the recruits to understand that from that moment on, the recruits will be spending lesser time with them.

“Siguro maka-ingon ‘ta nga maayo pa wala na lang sila misulod sa organisasyon, but it is a dream of every Filipino, who thinks as a Filipino by heart, not only to serve his family but also to serve the country,” the PRO-7 director said.

He added that their loved ones are called to offer “supreme sacrifice” to maintain the peace and order situation of the country.

Nerez also announced yesterday that they are already accepting applicants for their next recruitment.

He said that after the election in May, they have to meet the quota at 600 cops to also meet the nationwide quota at 10,000 and eventually achieve the one policeman for every 500 people ratio. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)