Res Gestae
Bautista, a blind writer, and the King
Aside from the newly installed Top Cop of Region 6, Police Chief Superintendent Isagani R. Cuevas, another big name from Camp Delgado filled the airwaves and made headlines in local newspapers recently. It is Police Senior Superintendent Norlito C Bautista who is the Chief Regional Directorial Staff of Police Regional Office (PRO) 6.
Bautista is not a new name, especially for the Antiqueños, Capiznon, and Ilonggos, whom he served – with passion and dedication – sometime in his more than three decades of police service. He is one of the few police officers who chose to be Ilonggo by heart and affinity.
Bautista's impeccable reputation is manifested in his remarkable accomplishments in various positions. As provincial director of Antique and Capiz Police Provincial Offices, and later as City Director of Iloilo City Police Office, Bautista never settled less in his performance output. During his stint, these police offices ranked No. 1 in the quarterly Performance Evaluation Rating conducted by PRO 6. I strongly believe, it was no luck or a matter of coincidence. Of the three police offices, only ICPO has maintained until now the legacy that Bautista has left behind.
I don't intend to compare Bautista with his successors. I want only to present facts to prove my claim that Bautista's reputation as an officer is beyond reproach.
Well, his being a police officer is only one side of a coin. To limit my understanding of Bautista based on the success of his profession may not be enough to vouch his integrity as a person. But, Bautista's career in police service is as successful as his life as a family man.
Bautista is one man that others could be jealous about. He does not only have a beautiful and intelligent wife but also a partner who is an equally successful career woman. His children are not only respectful and good-hearted but also clever (after all they won't become scholars in UP and Ateneo for no reason).
With his assets (read: family), it is not without reason that Bautista has made good investments. Though what he has, such as cars and houses, are but ordinary when his circumstances are to be considered. Didn't I say his wife is a successful career woman and his children are earning degrees in good schools without him paying for their tuition fees?
I don't claim to know everything of Bautista. But, at least, I can present "evidence" when I "accuse" him of being a good officer and a gentleman.
Unlike the recent attacks against Bautista by a blind writer and the King. Theirs were not only malicious but also baseless and speculative.
The certified blind writer, in one of his articles, accused Bautista of having done nothing as PRO 6 Spokesperson. Well, his claim simply proved his handicap. He can't see. He is blind.
Bautista's a-year stint as PRO 6 Spokesperson has no point of comparison, him being the first Spokesperson that PRO 6 has. Notwithstanding, Bautista's litany of accomplishments remain a challenge to his successor, Police Superintendent Ranulfo I. Demiar. In his time, Bautista disseminated 134 news releases (all of these were published in most local dailies and hopefully benefited the general public). Even if the publishers of local dailies do not consider this as an accomplishment for Bautista, the thing was nothing in PRO 6 history (at least as of this time) that it has disseminated information as much as when Bautista sat as Spokesperson.
Other initiatives of Bautista as Spokesperson are the holding of Talakayan Sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) every Thursday at CPU Alumni Channel and the establishment of Regional Public Information Office which entertains not only the members of tri-media but also the public with their needs of information on police matters. If these couldn't be considered accomplishments, what are they?
As I said, the concerned certified blind writer simply added insult to his person.
But, the King is worse than this old blind man. He tags Bautista as protector of a drug lord in Iloilo City. No question about the possibility that a drug lord lives and operates in this city. But, with Bautista being protector of this drug lord, are you talking in your lucid interval?
I mean, I don't think it is impossible. What is unthinkable is for an Acting Secretary of Justice making declarations in tri-media against a police officer, with reputable track record in public service, instead of piling his pieces of evidence and filing a case in the proper court! A first year law student, or even a political science student, knows that in such case the proper venue to prove his case is the court of justice. But, look at the King! He forgets these "basics", after years of "acting" in the Department of Justice.
I don't really think the sensible (sane, rational, prudent) Ilonggos would still believe the King. Though I am not worried about Gonzalez's reputation among Ilonggos, I am so concerned about the possibility that he will make use (as he always does) of his power to persuade top PNP officials to work out his gambit against his innocent victims. Should he do that, we can only cross our fingers and pray to heaven for miracle. It is in our history: Evil triumphed because good men did nothing, e.g. Gonzalez sitting in the Department of Justice because good-hearted Filipinos did nothing to stop him.
Hence, should I re-write the title of this article, I would have it: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Devil!
(Send your comments and suggestions to rogatepnp@yahoo.com.)