By DANNY O. SAGUN

POLICEMEN usually deny they ever drink spirits (wine or beer) during their tour of duty either at the police station or outside. It is public knowledge though that there are policemen who drink wine or beer particularly during their night duty. We know this being a storeowner ourself.

The case of one SP04 Junio of the Bonuan community precinct is one example of how our police officers are good at denying to death they ever taste beer or wine at their stations as they are usually good in denying they are maintaining kulasisis to the growling protest of their wives.

A superior officer, Insp. Danny Prado, the city police community relations officer, last Tuesday told the Pantongtongan Tayo radio program of the Philippine Information Agency over Radyo ng Bayan-DZMQ that accusations against Junio having an alleged drinking spree with some female friends at the Bonusan sub-station were negative.

“Di totoo,” Prado said in defense of his fellow police officer

.

Quoting Junio, the police official said that it was only his (Junio’s) friends who were drinking just one bottle of beer not him. “May sakit siyang diabetes kaya di puedeng uminom,” Prado said, practically exonerating the erring police officer.

News reports said however that Junio’s transfer/reassignment from one precinct to another had something to do with his drinking problem. He is now floating at the police chief office pending investigation and action on his case.

Take note that the campaign against ‘drinking policemen’ came about right after the installation of chief Supt. Pol Bataoil as Region l chief. Bataoil, having been provincial commander for quite a time here, and being a native of Lingayen, knows exactly how his field men here fare in their assignments. He knows what specific problems in the various police stations and community precincts exist.

Drinking while on duty is such a problem facing many police chiefs, some of whom tolerate it despite stiff PNP rules about it. Maybe they are just lax, or maybe they are afraid of the wrath of their subordinates, which is quite intriguing. And some police chiefs too are drinkers themselves. Subordinates are just too happy to join their superior in a drinking spree.

Drinking is usually seen as the most convenient way to kill or while away time. Firefighters do that, they cannot deny that fact. So do policemen who may not be as active in their night duty. Time is their main enemy.
It is good that most police stations now have television sets and are cable subscribers so that duty officers can watch shows even up to the dead of the night. Still some turn to drinking as the more appropriate way to kill time.
Problem comes though when an emergency situation requires their prompt action. Their response is not as quick and reliable as when they are sober. That is why we hear of complaints about responding policemen reeking of alcoholic breath.
If only the police as an institution implements its laws and policies to the letter. We hope the good police general will succeed in his campaign.