I’M talking about the impassioned speech of Colonel Hansel Marantan, a member of Philippine National Police ‘Kabalikat’ Class of 1998, who may be a villain in the eyes of some but a hero to so many especially to the families of victims of heinous crimes whom he had helped get justice.
I found out that the League of Municipalities of the Philippines invited Marantan, currently the chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region to speak before an LMP Convention.
There are a total of 1,489 municipalities in The Philippines prompting the establishment of the LMP for the primary purpose of ventilating, articulating and crystallizing issues affecting municipal governments.
Thus, it really would be an honor to speak in front of municipal mayors from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Take it from Col. Marantan who made history as the 1st PNP full-fledged Colonel to speak before a major LMP event.
He first spoke during a gathering of LMP members at the Royce Premium Hotel in Clark, Pampanga last July 28. To stress his point, Col. Maranan spoke on the role of the Philippine National Police in embracing Reforms to accelerate progress and ensure peace, security and stability.
Here is his speech:
“Sa totoo lang po ninenerbiyos po ako na makakita ng ganitokaraming local chief executives. Pakiramdam ko I will be crucified by you today. Hindi ko alam bakit ako ininvite ng LMP Secretariat, signed by its President no less than Mayor JB Bernos, e hindi naman ho ako ang pinakamagaling na law enforcer.”
“I know that almost all of you have accomplished many things in life, ramdam ko tuloy I am little unfit to be one of your speakers today. But there is an order for me to take the post. I will take post and discuss with you things within the bounds of my comprehension and experience. Pure honesty, no lies.
“Three priorities in my mind that I think need immediate attention and intervention. I am thinking of proliferation of drugs and Private Armed Groups (PAGs), drugs and terrorism, and drugs and cybercrime.”
“Discussing the three (3) will be very lengthy so please allow me to focus more on the PAGs which I think are very timely in relation to the forthcoming barangay elections. Magkakaroon din tayo ng oras para dyan pero I have to tell you that often, inter-related na rin sila sa bawat isa.”
“For brevity let me deal with PAGs. I have been with the service for 27 years. Trained among others; by the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), the Special Action Force (SAF), the Naval Intelligence and Security Force (NISF), the Directorate for Intelligence (DI), the Intelligence Group (IG), the Federal Security Service (FSB) or also known as KGB in Moscow, Russia, and most of all trained by my dealings with people on the streets, observing them and some of them were good guys and some of them were of shady characters.”
“Within that timeline, while fighting them I have bolted in my body (52) metal screws, (4) bone plates, (1) knee replacement, impaired left ear, and (3) spine operations which my doctor recently recommended for another surgery. Just recently they injected steroids into my spine. All were gotten from armed encounters.”
“There’s too much pain in the service categorically or equivocally. Sometimes it was brought about by unpopular decisions that we made. To name a few: Ortigas shootout, Bersamin case, Degamo case, Parañaque shootout, Candelaria shootout, Black-Shark Organized Crime Group, Kuratong OCG, AtimonanShootout– can’t remember na one by one pero what I am saying is that these demands decisions that will make or break you and your career.”
“ You will eat death threats three (3) times a day, ma compromise mo ang security ng family mo, your children will be bullied in their schools, they will be displaced for sure, magtatago kayo at darating ang oras na talagangipupusta mo rin kung anung meron ka. “
“Undesirables of the society, “BADASS” as they say and they should be meted by a “gung ho” they said. Sometimes it is lonely to do the right thing kasi yung mga kasama mo nag play safe na, sometimes mga boss mo umatras na and they can’t be faulted one hundred percent because of the mentioned reasons. “
Thus, they opted to be prudent rather than be courageous. Naisip ko tuloy when German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, anything that will not kill you will make you stronger.”
“In our recent operations very grateful kami that Secretary Benhur (Abalos of DILG ) and Secretary Boying (Remulla of DOJ) did not quiver with their commitments, not for anything else, it is just because it is the right thing to do lalo na kung ikaw ang leader.”
“A leader can delegate anything except responsibility and accountability, very specific things that a commander cannot just simply give it away. We can model and remodel it, simplify it, but in the words of Harry Truman “the back stops with the leader.”
“People associate commitment with emotions, if they feel the right way then they can follow thru with their commitment, but true commitment doesn’t work that way. It’s a character, a quality that enables us to reach our goals.”
“Human emotions go UP and DOWN – all the time, but the commitment has to be rock-solid. Usually discovered amidst adversities, it last when it is based on values and some sense of propriety.”
“Kung hindi natin madepensahan ang mga tao natin big or small, or stand by their side come hell or shine that in conscience we did what we thought to be the right thing to do in that particular place and time, then we are doing irreparable damage to our men and to their families.”
“Mga minamahal kong local chief executives, mga Mayors, like us you are also the first bastion of defense ng karamihan sa ating kapulisan, you are an essential part of its fortification para ang pulis natin ay hindi maging miyembro ng PAGs or other forms of criminality.”
“Hindi sila pwedeng maging mere security drivers, alalay or what, and most they cannot be your goons. They are more than that. At kapag nangyari yan sila ay magiging goons na forever. Imagine at the age of 30 and they became goons right away by incorrigible politicians, they will be goons for the next 26 years until their retirement.”
“ Walang gagawin mga yan kundi i-short cut ang criminal justice system.There will be no more investigation, filing of cases, courts, correction, and community. Wala na. Kasi hindi na yan ang alam niyang solution kundi iba-assassinations , gun for hire, all shortcuts.”
“We are your security forces, most of the time we provide immediate solutions to problems but these are temporary solutions, when there’s chaos like anarchy, killings, line of supply being destroyed thru bombings, etc., or what happened to Negros Oriental and the assassination of Governor Degamo, we intervened right away / but that is not a long-lasting solution.”
“We come in just to provide stability and that’s temporary. The one who can provide a long-lasting solution is YOU. The use of the whole-of-nation approach at the local level is you. We are just a component of your team. Kayo ang chess player sa local level, we are your components. That’s why the national government is depending so much on you.”
“I was imprisoned for 5 years, I happened to be a MAYOR also inside jail. Second termer until we were granted bail. It’s a joke. / What I am saying is that I have experienced good and bad times too and today I am just considering these impostors just the same.”
“Kanina ho I mentioned that sometimes it is lonely to do the right thing, yes, it is true and you will feel the same way too. Or maybe many of you have gone through with it. “Been there and Done that.”
“There will be more, kasi kayo nakahawak sa manibela, ang Vice Mayor mo naman and the first councilor wala na ring ginawa kundi gawan ka ng mga issues, kasuhan ka, magkasakit ka, worse mamatay ka. Kaya huwag ka pauunahan– “patayin mo na rin sila” (joke lang).”
“In politics how many people have been killed? How many have met a tragic death? Take for instance the Ampatuan case of Maguindano, Bersamin case of Abra, Degamo case of Negros Oriental, you can recall and mention it all.”
“But the ending there po ay it caused an endless search for justice and in the course of it, nakuha ang kayamanan nilang napakatagal nilang pinag-ipunan, displaced ang family, and many were arrested and put behind bars.. Some of them were also neutralized in the course of law enforcement operations at di na sila nakabangon until now. NOT WORTH IT.”
“Ang nakakalungkot ay sa lahat ng mga killings na iyon, security forces ang mga nagamit. Members of the PNP, AFP, NBI, et al. I was with some of them during the incarceration– isa ako sa mga nanghuli sa kanila we were together for 5 years in jail I know their stories too.
“I know how they were blinded by their respective principals, I know how their principals took advantage of their vulnerabilities MONEY and POWER kaya nga naniniwala ako sa kasabihan ng isang / certain Mr. Rudyard Kipling ang sabi niya “Beware of over concern of money, or position, or glory. Someday you will meet a man who cares for none of these things. Then you will know how poor you are.”
“Sa experience ko, when there is bad blood that’s the hardest thing to reconcile, no amount of interventions can do for the victims, it is like a tattoo forever etched into the human soul. It’s a challenge every day to get even, for the perpetrators naman it’s a worry every day too. (unburdened tonight, but tomorrow you will be haunted.”
“Tapos na po tayo sa mga killings, intimidations, and harassments. We are in a digital stage where technologies are becoming so advanced. It is opposed to your theme today if people will insist on it that way.”
“But in the event that some incorrigible politicians will insist on the old monstrous acts as it was done before gaya ng sinabiko kanina we can give you a pain reliever immediately.”
“Monstrous acts can also be done by us too–, if that’s the only way to maintain stability. Pareho lang namang killings yan. The only difference between us and the monsters is the pervasive feeling they enjoyed doing it while we are not. /We must have to endure it all for the common good sabi nga sa INVICTUS.”
“I would like to remind you about this quote: “The most expensive liquid in the world is a tear. It is 1% water and 99% feelings. Think before you hurt someone.” Please do remember that.
That speech really brought the house down. That’ the reality spoken by a police official who have been ridiculed, cajoled and even imprisoned but is now back to the job he loves best which is fighting criminals and sending them to jail.
Written By: Alfred P. Dalizon
Source: Journal News
