Cops stage version of Olympics today

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) will deploy its 996 cadets in a five-day test of physical fitness, skills, discipline and teamwork during a series of practical exercises in the first-ever Public Safety Olympics at Camp Mariano Castaneda in Silang, Cavite, starting today.           

PNPA director Col. Nestor Fajura conceptualized the Public Safety Olympics like a sportsfest although the cadets will compete in eight “events” which are simulations of critical situations unrelated to sports. The eight situations are fire arson investigation, building and vehicle search, municipal disaster risk reduction council meeting, hostage negotiation, crime scene investigation, jail riot, AGI ORSITE (annual general inspection/operational readiness security inspection test and evaluation) and the turnover ceremony where there are protocols to be observed in a change of command.

To get the Olympics off on a hot start, the cadets will go for gold in a physical fitness test relay which is sports-related. Split into eight companies of 50 each, the cadets will do push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and other exercises and compete in two runs – the dash and long-distance – in a time race to be the first to raise the winner’s flag. The relay, supervised by assistant commandant Richard Basco, will be staged right after the kick-off program at 9 this morning with PNPA deputy director Leonardo Cesneros delivering the welcome remarks. Commandant of cadets Ferdinand Bartolome will introduce the participating teams while Col. Fajura will declare the start of the Olympics during the opening program.

The eight competing companies are Alfa led by cadet Dick Tay-en Loque, Bravo led by cadet Allan Patron Hernandez, Charlie led by cadet Tan Sayaao Bulaglag, Delta led by cadet Charles Suarez Fulache, Echo led by cadet Arvin Atienza Englatiera, Foxtrot led by cadet Edriel Bordios Esparagoza, Golf led by cadet Mark Lester Reyes Jalon and Hawk led by cadet Robin Jay de Guzman Fajardo.

“The eight companies of the cadet corps will try to outdo each other on how best to address different situations,” said Col. Fajura. “The Olympics will test the readiness of cadets to become commissioned officers of the PNP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP). Judges, prosecutors and law enforcement experts will serve as umpires in each situation.”

Col. Fajura said the PNPA’s 276 fourth class cadets, who were elevated from plebe status last December, will participate in the Olympics as demonstrators and role-playing criminals and protagonists in the situations. “It’s the first time we’re staging an Olympic-style event,” he continued. “In the past, we did piecemeal exercises. Now, we’re putting our cadets to the final test, to find out if they can apply the theories which they learned in the classroom. This innovative approach will also test the ability of our cadets to coordinate with other bureaus in handling delicate situations such as jailbreaks, civil disturbance, hostage-taking and robbery-in-progress.”

Col. Fajura was the spokesperson and chief negotiator of the Agusan del Sur police when 16 school officials and students were abducted in a hostage situation in Prosperidad last April. The situation was related to a land dispute involving rival tribal clans. All the hostages were released unharmed. A month later, Col. Fajura assumed the director’s post at the PNPA, a component training unit under the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) which is a bureau of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The PPSC is the premier educational institution for training, human resource development and continuing education of personnel of the PNP, BJMP and BFP.

PNPA chief of operations and training division Luis Pascual said the Olympics will display the learned skills and discipline acquired by the cadets. The spirit of competition is intended to put pressure on the cadets in vying for honors. In an actual situation, they will be subjected to extreme pressure in undertaking the responsibility of guaranteeing public safety in the face of danger.

Former PPSC president Margarita (Tingting) Cojuangco and PPSC president Atty. Ruben Platon served as Col. Fajura’s advisers in conceptualizing and organizing the landmark Public Safety Olympics. Col. Fajura said the PNPA Olympics is the first of its kind. “There was no model to pattern the Public Safety Olympics,” he said. “We did isolated simulations before but I thought it would be a good test and exercise if we ranged the critical situations in a series of events like the Olympics. The umpires will have checklists. We’ll do simultaneous situations to grade the eight companies. This will be the final test to determine how ready our cadets are to be commissioned officers in the line of fire.”