We are sad. We missed an opportunity to personally meet Lt. Gen. Michael John Dubria. The remaining ranking police general from Davao City who is still active in the service, was in Davao City the other day. Lt. Gen. Dubria was at the Police Regional Office (PRO) XI the other day to officiate in the assumption ceremony of P/Brig. Gen. Aligre Lamsan Martinez as the new regional police director vice just retired P/Brig. Gen. Alden Delvo.
At the end of the extended term of former PNP Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. March 31 this year, we were hoping that Lt. Gen. Dubria would be elevated to the top police hierarchy. But the President, the appointing authority, has another official in mind. So our hope for another Davaoeno PNP Director General faded and simply vanished into thin air.
General Dubria however, admitted that given the prevailing situation of politics in the country, his chance was “far-fetched” but was not impossible during that time. That is, according to the Davaoeno officials “if God wills it.”
Anyway, all those things are now water under the bridge. General Dubria who is due to retire in December this year, appears to have graciously moved on and is proud to say he is happy to continue doing his job at the PNP.
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Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is appealing to fugitive Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church (KJC) to surrender and face in court the cases filed against him. Saying that he remains a friend to the Pastor and claiming he still considers Quiboloy to be his idol, the senator from Bato, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur said he got the assurance of Malacanang that the Pastor will not be extradited to the United States.
Personally, we believe that the advice of the Senator to the now-wanted religious leader is the best ever to be made by people known to be close acquaintances of the Pastor.
Yes, if Quiboloy thinks that he has not done anything against any law in the country, then he should give himself up to the custody of the authorities. And if one of the crimes he allegedly committed is not allowed bail, then he should live the life of Jesus whose name he has founded his church.
The pastor should not be afraid to emulate the sacrifices done by his “Brother,” he, having claimed as the “appointed” son of God – God the Father, we supposed. By allowing himself to be tried and possibly punished he would be able to save the “Kingdom” that he has built over the years and further strengthen the faith of his followers.
But we cannot help but entertain the idea that if he refuses to listen to his friend Senator Bato and continues dodging the law on the advice of whoever, his Kingdom will likely be re-living the feat of the biblical Tower of Babel. His Kingdom will slowly but surely disintegrate and his followers will be dispersed to uncertainty.
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The new PRO XI Director, P/Brig. Martinez, has announced his strategy for attaining success in police operations and disposal of responsibilities under his watch.
Martinez committed to enhance collaboration with other law enforcement authorities, the local government, and engagement of the community to achieve safety and order. He also said during media interviews on his assumption of duty that his administration at the PRO XI will focus on activities that are primarily on crime prevention and crime solutions. This, he said, is in line with the strategic directives of new PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.
Indeed all that the new PRO chief has committed are assurances worth watching. We can only hope that the PRO under his leadership, will be bereft of political intervention and influence peddling.
Experience and history will prove that political intervention in the discharge of police duties, and allowing the tentacles of influence to interfere in the implementation of police actions are the “Waterloos” in the police service.
