640 new Caraga cops take oath

By Ben Serrano,
Correspondent

BUTUAN City — Caraga Region has new 640 cops who took oath in office as the Police Officers 1 during simple oath-taking ceremony held Police Regional Office-13 parade grounds on Saturday.

According to Senior Inspector Venus Nelminda, OIC Chief of the Regional Police Personnel and Human Resource Development Division (RPHRDD) for Caraga Region, the new police officers 1 comprise of 481 males and 159 females who took oath en masse before acting PRO 13 Regional Director Chief Supt. Rolando Felix.

After the oath-taking,  the new police recruits, which will be divided into two groups will undergo one year training at the Regional Training School 13 in Barangay Lipata, Surigao City in Surigao del Norte province while others will be bound for Silang, Cavite Training Camp.

“You took the oath and finally joined in the ranks of police officers. Remember that taking an oath for office are ties that (bind) us to (the) foundation and provisions of our government. Since you entered the realm of law enforcement, you have opted to follow a higher standard of integrity and conduct. Let us therefore make this as our stance – what is right must be kept right; what is wrong must be set right,” Felix said in his speech.

Chief Insp. Nelminda said the hiring of the 640 applicants completes their office’s first cycle of regular recruitment program for the year.

NGO-Social Watch Caraga advised the newly recruited 640 police officers in the region to shun politics, served their real boss – the Filipino people – to serve and protect the Filipino people not the politicians

The group also advised the new recruits to be real anti illegal drugs crusaders not “ninja” cops selling seized illegal drugs and protect human rights of every individuals saying drug addicts are victims themselves therefore needs help, understanding and rehabilitation not persecuted or killed.