Trials of a new PC officer

Media

Part of Philippine Armed Forces Journal

Title: Trials of a new PC officer
Language: English
Source: Philippine Armed Forces Journal Volume IX (No. 6) October 1956
Year: 1956
Rights
Fulltext: I nrnorn•nt<of I blush to l'e<:_all yea1·s of my hfe But my assignment to the Ph•llipp•ln~~il Constabulary was an entirely , ent experience. I was to deal with a new social group - the Moro, and politicians who, unlike me, owe their positions through elections. I had to think like a lawyer, accomphsh a mission with limited facilities on hand, and, in the absence of oth"t officel'S, consult enlisted men befo1 e making decisions. This is, therefon. a recollection of some of my ''first•· adventures as a brand-new Constabulary officer in l't!oJ-oland. lteporting for Duty With freshly.pressed khaki suit, shining belt buckle. well-polish{'d shoes, glittering goldt>n bars, and a twenty-seven peso Pershing tap, I looked like an offite1· newly called A• a ~•"' alfPcer, ovn ' Mwphy 1v.r becav•e I r•c•i•• the •alutu of !he Ml'• on guard. It "'o• chi/dj•h, b<1! "' the Jame time il gave r.:;: a feeling al r'mpartance to active duty which, indeed, I was. Area Briefing I had just completed a special com Befot·e I left for mr new station, pany officers' course in Fort McKin- I was directed to J·eport to the difley and I was on my way to report fenmt sections of the Area Headto the Personnel Officer (G-1), ·1th quarters for last-minute bl'iefing. Military A1·ea, Mindanao, for a"Ssign- Since my new assignment was in the ment. PC, I reported to the Deputy Area The Personnel Officer was a fa. Commander for PC Affairs, a vettherly lieutenant colonel who an- eran Moro fighte1·. It was from him swered my regulation salute with a that I heard that "the onty good non-regulation one. AfteJ· I pres- Moro is a dea"d Moro." I knew of ented my transfer orders, he smiled its falsity very much Jatet·. and said, "You will enjoy your new In the intelligence section (G-2), ass1gnment. It has been ma:de fa- a captain incessantly drummed into mou!. by music in the grades." I un- my head to report anything that derstood what he meant three days happens in my area no matter how later whl'll $pec1al o1·ders assignin~ tl'ifling it was. I was itching to nw to the !st Zamboan~ra PC Com- know the extent of ''anything trifpanr stauoncd at Pagadian, Zam. ling" but I didn't want to create an boan!l'a \\·a~ placer! <m mr lap. itnpJ·ession of i~nonrnce ~o I kept 1t to myself. The adminisu·ative of- barracks and the officers' qua!·tet· fi~er of G.a section wanted me to re· there. Tile last time I inspected '•hilt mind my new commanding officet· camp, I f{:ll in th~ bathroom." that reports on encounters should be submitted promptly. My transporta· tion order was withheld by the transportation officer until my submission of clearance papers. Although I reasoned out that I did not receive a single item from the Area, he stopped me by saying, "That's camp regulations. You've got to present your Area clearance even if you haven't taken anything." One purpose of At Detachment Headquarters The detachment headquarters was located on elevated ground with a commanding view of Dumanquilas Bay. While the enlisted men's bat·· racks looked dil~rpidated, the officers' quarters seemed nice. Upon inspection of the bathroom, I saw a few pieces nf wn.od of what wa~ once the floor. t could still discern an such clearance became clear when imprint of a big foot, probably that the treasurer of the 4th Military of my provincial commande1· when he Area Officers' Club refused to af- fell. fix his signature unless I fork over The only stl·ongly-constructed room r a five peso membership fee. was the detention cell in the guard. New Station house which was made of iron bars. The unit to which I was assigned I had in mind that it was built so had one of the cleanest camps. The fo1· hardened Moro criminals, but nicest thing about it, however, was upon inquiry, the detachment serits proximity to a college which had geant remarked that the most frt>pretty Zamboangeiia students. Visit- quent detainees were the drunks who ing them after dusk was, to my ba- used to throw stones at the Chinese chelor's way of think ing, a coveted stores. Moros seldom get imprisoned diversion for a PC officer. because they prefe1· to fi&"ht it out Howevet·, my enthusiasm was dam. to the dt>ath with the PC men . ., pened upon learning hom my com A full-strength PC company was manding officer that I was R:Otng to fot·merly stationed in the same place be detailed to the company's detach- but after the "streamlining of the ment in Malangas, a \:own inacces- PC," only a detachment t'f'mained. sible except by a full twelve-hour I was commanrler of a detachment travel by launch. A bo~~ot was luv of exactly seven men with one man ing the next day and 1t was nfl:E:s· pe1·manently detailed with ttw Ma. sat·y that I take it as schedules Wet·e laugas Coal Mines, thirty kilonwt•·t·~ inegular. Sometimes, Malangas away, to account fot th•• cxph,,st\'o:~. was by.passed weeks at a tim.,, .:.s- My opet·ational Wt'E:a itochtdo:d tht·•·•· pecially dul'ing bad weather. Be- towns unconnected by tHad.~ and 3l" fot'f' I left, however, I met th .. Pt'O\' pat·atcd by thick junl(lt:~. Th• ""II. incial commander. He bl'ieferl me on was the nt11.in link ,f th>' tht'cl' mu conditions in my area and endt>rl it nicipalities. Sincf· th.- detachment with. "1 expect you to I'E:PII.it ~h .. had neith!'l' oJutboard ruc..tor not bot toms, the only recourse during wa- come that he has two families?'' I ter patrols was either to borrow or asked in disbelief. The soldier ex- ~ .~ commandeer • avaihfoJle Moro boats plained, "Well, sir, some people called "vintas." around here have as much as five I boarded with a family who ne- wives." I should have known betver had any officer-boarder before. ter that Moros are allowed to pracWhen I asked the old woman whe- tice polygamy. Although the mayor ther thirty pe!Kis a mnnth would be was a Christian, he had adopted 1.he enough, she replied that she could native customs and idiosyncracies so sen·t· me three courses with it 1f l that nobody thought it odd. ''You will •~joy your n•w ouignm•nl. It Ito• bun mod• lomous by music ;,, ,;,. 1Jto<lu." appreciate chicken and fish menus. Invitation to a Moro Wed,ding I felt as if I wn cheating her One Sunday morning the sergeant I added a few pesos. of the guard reported that a cerCourtesy Call tain Moro datu had been waiting in the office for more than an hour to Following regulations, I went to see me. I was about to let the datu the municipal mayor's residence to come to my quarters but when I pay a courtesy call, accompanied by glanced in the direction of the guardan enlisted man. But on the thres- house I saw not only one Moro but hold, a boy told me that the mayor a whole crowd. On second thought was with his other family. "How I decided to wear my pistol and see .. the datu alone. The sergeant, hoW- then they would be emboldened to ever, a.nticipating my line of think- disrupt the existing peace and order. ing, apprised me that the rest are I decided to proceed, hoping that the not warriors but members of the ser~eant was right. datu's family who want to shake The Moro datu met me with soundhands with me. I shot 8' ques ing gongs and I actually noticed tioning glance and he conti- their high esteem when they seated nued, "Usually, sir, when a new of- mr. in line with the other datus, Durficer arrives, they make a sort of ing the ceremony some of the Moro courtesy call so that if the officer girls snickered when I refused to recomes upon them during patrols, the ceive a five.peso bill handed to me. handshaking aids in recognition." The datu explained that it was cusAfter an introduction and so much toma1·y for every datu to receive roohandshaking, I found out that the netary gifts during weddings and I datu speak Visaya. With this disco- was, to their point of view, a rankvery the datu became more intimate ing one. On my 1·eturn to camp, I and before he left, he invited me to smiled inwardly when my soldier-esattend the wedding of his son in the cort related that the Moros thought barrio. Perplexed by the problem of I ranked higher than my predecesaccepting or rejecting the invitation, sor (a first lieutenant) because of I called an old PC soldier who had my golden bars. Fond of jewelry, spent the best years of his life in Moros know that gold is more preMorolai1d. He opined that since a cious than silver. Moro's pride easily gets hurt I would Firat Case In Court have a hard time winning a Moro'~; friendship again if 1 lose it. After My first case in court, surprisingly a little reflection on my seven-man enough, w~s not murder as I expectstrength, 1 suddenly realized that 1 ed, but br1bery. The person charg_ed needed friendship more than hostil- was, of all people, the chief_ of pohce ity. 1 promised the datu that I was of the town. With the gu1dance of my investigating sergeant, I decided to file the case in court with the going. On the day of the wedding, I had person involved as my star witness. only one man available for patrol. But on the day set by the loca-l jusAgain I consulted my old sergeant tice of the peace for the trial, mr about the possibility of an ambush. star witness disappeared. I asked I felt that I was too young to have for postponement but the witness a street nmned li'fter me should I simply couldn't be found. The cal'c become a casualty. The advice, in was dismissed for lack of sufficient brief, was that the only way to gain evidence. It was only many years the respect and admiration of the later that I learned the reason for Moros was to show them courage. If the disappearing act. The chief rethey would know that I did not make turned the bribe money with one good my promise because of fear hundred per cent interest on condi'-iOn thwt the witness hide forest. Firat f•irate Attack PHII.IPI' l~ES AIIYIED FORCES JOt:RNAL in the them with super-human courage to defy the PC without firearms." (An "anting-anting·• is a Moro good luck charm). One night, a wet, shoeless, shot· With the death of this l-loro, tho· gun-toting individual, introducing rest of the natives felt free to talk himself as the mayor of one of 1.h1: about the Moro pirates and t>ointed to towna unde1· my jul"isdiction, brought the deceased as the mastermind of the news that a Chinese family r~:sid- the -:rime. Having verified the ining in oroe of his barrios was robbed formation that the perpetrators left and killed by Moro pirates using a fur Jolo, I flashed a radio message Moro launch called ""kumpit." I mo- to provindal headquartei"S t..> request bilized a maximum patrol strength PC Jolo to intercept them. of three PC soldiers and sped to the Firijl Police Inspection scene of the crime in a tugboat lent A week after the pirate attack, a to the mayor. by the Hercules Lum- letter arrh·ed from the company her Company. Luckily, the local judge headquarters directing me to insrect of the town concernde was a hunte•· the police force at once. I felt Ctl":rr:cvy~a~!on~0~:~~::!db~:h;0day~~:~ ~~~~c~i:~l:rs P;,~:; 0~ ;~~e\~:~~d1 ~:! ~-y us and use his .22 caliber rifle in going to inspect was already a first hunting the pirates. lieutenant at the time I was 11till in short pants. But the order was th:h~~e a~a:~:;min~e :~:rest~~ti~ii~~ ~:e:::dned {t.cou~~eno:c!~~~k i~!p:c~:~ ing in one of the island-barrios near proved to be an opportunity for me the scene of the crime. I consulted to demonstrate the latest drill the judge whether he could issue a •·egulations. 1 comf()J ted ::~err~ :ar;haentaf~:r;:~~e. ~nee h;:; ~-~~nin;he w::ct no:ha~nti~~y aJ~: later, we fanned around the barrio less in the PC. 1 finished the in~ and the manhunt was on. It was in pection after noting down the folone secluded hut that a Moro swing- lowing: (a) onl)' one policeman ing a "barong" (a ~loro bladed wea- knew how to prepare a sworn state· pon) charged from the doorway. For- ment, and (b) limall town poHcemen tunately, my madn who was the tar· are one of the lowest paid govern~~:sed si:i:st:::\y a a~: ..... t~nech::.ro"! ment emplop!es. concentr11ted fire from the rest of First Gam blin~ Raid the ptrtrol fell the "juramentado." While I was on routine patrol ~p:~ai1~5~;~~: of ~~=P:~~Y·i~ r:l~~~ i~~:~~IQt~:n ~~dat :a~or:1:~t~~:~li~~e -~cloth hanging down the renegade's locally called "hantsk" was being chest. ''That's an 'snting-anting,'" played right in the public market o[ .,_-hi!'.pered a policeman. "It endows a nearby town wherP a fiesta was only of two enlisted meu myself. Unfortunately, a river separated the market from the western route of approach and the banca used as a ferry was in the opposite side. Forewarned by the sight of a wading PC 1oldier, the gamblers instantly scatteud before an arrest was pos11ible. When I conferred with the mayor about th,. incidrnt, he requested me tv let alone the gambling games, othcrwiSt!, he would not be able to meet the Red Cross quota. It came out that the being celebrated. I asked whether gambling operator promised to back he reported the matter to the police up the quota for the whole town in and he replied that since the new return for a three-day uninterrupted mayor was sworn into office, the po- operation. Angrily, I addressed the lice force was no longer what it mayor with the following words: used to be. (I learned later that "Mr. Mayor, it is the duty of aervthe informant was a rabid leader of ants of the people like us to uphold the defeated mayor). Immediately, the majesty of the law. We should I briefed my men on a two-point at- not allow anybody to break it even tack, one PC soldier to approach it is for a noble cause like the Red from the west while another from Cross. I am sorry, Mayor, but I the east. Actually, the patrol was will not be a party to such dealPHILIPPINES ARl'tiED FORCES JOURNAL H•re or• .Mara inmal•• in tl•e municipal jail Nolie• th• light moteroo/0 •mplay•d. Thio jail io only goad for drunhn .Mara•, nol j11rom•ntodo1 who would rather light il aul lo the end with the 0111hariliu. ings." With that I turned my back mand of the Malangas PC Detachbut even before I could take a few ment, my radio operator received a steps the mayor grabbed my arm radiogram ordering me to proceed :.nd invited me to be his guest for immediately to the Philippine Conthe duration of the fiesta. Before stabulary School in Camp Crame, I could refuse, he explained that my Quezon City for training in crimipresence would really prevent the nal investigation. A launch was re-occurrence of the vice. He said leaving the next morning so I barely that he was really against it, but had time to prepare. But by this could not enforce the law due to the time I had learned many things prcssur~ of his gambling "compa- from sul.Jordinates, especially from a dres" who supported him during the Jolo soldier who used to make a elections. He was sure that the terse remark: "0\del is oldel" when gamblers would not make another others grudgingly follow i,.nstrucproposition with my presence in his tions. (Joloanos, by the way; have house. The barbed words I spon- a hard time pronouncing the letter taneously mouthed did not exactly "r" so they use "I" instead.) come as a surprise. They were the I knew that going to school would warning words uttered by my prov- be my chance to become a better incial commander when he briefed PC officer. Although experience is me in Pagadian. a good teacher, one commits fewer Back to School mistakes and consults less in making decisions when the proper way Two months after I assumed com- is learned in school. .. ,