Res Gestae
Am I anti-police?
I am with the police. I trust them. And, even if it may sound corny, I love them!
Many comments in the past regarding my column stated that I am too impersonal, inconsiderate and judgmental with the members of the police force. Now, I make my self clear. I strongly deny the accusation. As I said, I am with the police. I trust and love them!
Recently, I received another similar comment thru text regarding my article "12th ASEAN Summit: Historic indeed". I believe the texter is an avid reader of this column because he or she was still able to reach me thru my previously published number. Though he or she is refusing to reveal his or her identity, I am just appeased with the thought that this column is gaining and sustaining a wider readership in this metropolis.
Back to the comment, the texter pointed out the last sentence of my previous article as "anti-police". As a rule, I must not react without verifying his or her claim. I opened my computer and checked where did I go wrong with that last sentence. Eureka! I committed a grave mistake. I missed the word NOT!
The sentence which the texter referred to as "anti-police" states "...The thousands of police and military, who were brought in to Cebu City to augment the security, were trained and equipped with skills on anti-insurgency and counter-terrorism for nothing!" It sounds and appears like an anti-police statement, indeed. But the sentence, despite the missing word NOT, should not be considered distinct and separate from the rest of sentences in the paragraph.
In the said article, I accepted the Malacañang's decision of putting Typhoon Seniang as a defense for postponing the 12th ASEAN Summit. But, I clearly put a warning that if they mistakenly use the presence of Abu Sayyaf or terrorist groups in Cebu City as the reason for postponement, that I couldn't agree with because I don't want to appear the thousands of police and military, who were brought in to Cebu City to augment the security, incapable of establishing a reliable security measures against any and all forms of terrorism! So the last sentence should have been written this way "...The thousands of police and military, who were brought in to Cebu City to augment the security, were NOT trained and equipped with skills on anti-insurgency and counter-terrorism for nothing!"
However, I still thank my dear texter for noticing such detail in my article. Had it not for her or him I would not have noticed the missing NOT in my supposedly a double-negative sentence.
I hope I made my self clear. From now on, don't think that I am anti-police. But don't also think that I will always praise the police.
(Send your comments and suggestions to rogatepnp@yahoo.com)