While watching the recent news on TV, I couldn’t help but sigh at the blatant insensitivity and moral corruption unfolding and the questionable handling of the situation by a high government official and police personnel.
Upon hearing the leaked video of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr.’s small chat with arrested fugitive Alice Guo, a suspended Bamban, Tarlac mayor, my disbelief in law enforcement became complete.
Call Sen. Risa Hontiveros many names, even unflattering ones, but she is right to point out that Guo is not a celebrity. Police officials and personnel should be reminded to conduct themselves appropriately in public, especially when dealing with an arrested high-profile fugitive.
Guo was arrested by alert Indonesian police after she triumphantly eluded the Philippine National Police (PNP) intelligence radar. This reality alone is not selfie-worthy for the police, as it was shameful, so the PNP chief should not have exuded that wide grin in the photo.
Imagine how the Indonesian police reacted when they saw the controversial selfie of Guo with Abalos and the PNP Chief, Rommel Francisco Marbil. Their shock would probably be big as soon as they learned of the English translation of the Secretary’s “ikaw talaga” casual conversation before Guo was presented to the media.
Poor Secretary Abalos. Considering the intense public backlash from traditional and social media, I hope his senatorial dream was not dealt a fatal blow even before it started. As such, there is no need to blame his staff, who forgot to mute the microphone.
I worked as a law enforcer for many years of my government career. I served as the regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Bureau of Customs (BoC) Enforcement and Security Group chief, and later as Customs Commissioner. Throughout these years, I always reminded my arresting team about the rules of engagement and how they should conduct themselves in public when enforcing the law.
High government officials and police enforcers taking selfies with arrested fugitives from crime is overwhelming. Selfies are highly inappropriate and unprofessional because they might undermine the public’s trust in law enforcement and reflect poorly on the professionalism of the police force.
The men in the selfie video may have been unaware that the casual photo opportunity would turn into a selfie moment for Guo. But why would a fugitive behave in such a way if she knows that this kind of behavior is permitted? Was she trivializing the situation?
There is something peculiar about Guo always smiling and always in selfie mode in public. Either she has not yet grasped the situation entirely, or she knows her money has a way out of this mess.
At times, law enforcers taking selfies with a fugitive, more so if a convicted criminal, can be controversial. While it might humanize the officers and improve community relations, it could also be seen as unprofessional or compromising their neutrality. Everything depends on the context and the specific circumstances surrounding the selfie.
Regardless, law enforcement officers must comport themselves professionally, courteously, and safety-consciously when apprehending a fugitive in a public setting. This not only helps ensure the safety of bystanders but also upholds the integrity of law enforcement operations.
It is equally important to note that the court has not determined Guo’s guilt, so her privacy and dignity should be respected, despite her jovial pubic demeanor in the face of death threats.
Professionalism is vital when conducting a public arrest or presenting a high-profile case. Law enforcement officials should always be mindful of their language and demeanor, on and off camera, to avoid unnecessary impressions of bias.
I hope Secretary Abalos and the PNP finally learned their lesson: Know how to quickly diagnose potential selfies like dodging a bullet fired from a gun. The public does not want a replay of this when another famous fugitive is also finally arrested.
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