Alfred Dalizon

CIDG DIRECTOR’S GOOD DEED

January 15, 2025 Alfred P. Dalizon 1184 views

A FRIEND told me how a small act of kindness has earned PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director, Brigadier General Nicolas ‘Nick’ Torre III wide admiration from netizens and the public in general.

But before that, I would like to share this message sent to me by a good friend, retired General Noel Baraceros of Philippine Military Academy ‘Sinagtala’ Class of 1986. “Inheritance is not just money. Sometimes your father’s good reputation is enough, and wherever you go, you are told that your father was one of the best people.”

“Good reminder too, for us who inherit a good name & reputation to pass them- unblemished, untainted & with some value-added to our children & the next generations,” the former aide-de-camp of the late President Fidel V. Ramos told me.

“This is the reason I’m fond of giving ‘pens’ to newly appointed commanders/leaders/heads of units & reminding them to keep in mind that when they sign documents, they do it in behalf of their ancestors, grandparents, parents, children & grandchildren,” Baraceros added. Very well said indeed.

Back to the incident involving Brig. Gen. Torre, I learned that around 7:40 p.m. last January 7, the official was on board a CIDG mobile car when he saw a young woman going after somebody at the center of northbound EDSA Guadalupe Nuevo Bridge in Makati City.

It turned out that the woman was a 23-year old student from South Cembo, Taguig City who lost her iPhone11 to a male snatcher in the area.

The student who was on board their family car had just opened the vehicle’s window when the thief suddenly grabbed her mobile phone and fled on foot towards Cloverleaf area in Bgy. Guadalupe.

It really was her lucky day when the CIDG mobile car with Brig. Gen. Torre passed by and the latter who sensed that the woman was in trouble assisted her in going to the fix post of the Makati City Police Sub-Station 7.

Seeing a police general accompanying a snatching victim roused the duty officers on their seat and prompted them to conduct a thorough follow-up investigation to identify and arrest the thief.

After reviewing available CCTV recordings in Bgy. Guadalupe Nuevo, the local policemen managed to identify the cell phone snatcher as an 18-year old jobless resident of Bernardino Street. A witness also told the local police he saw the suspect in the same busy area apparently waiting for an opportunity to hit a target.

The following morning, the victim positively identified the suspect thru his previous mug shot which was taken after the latter was booked for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 and Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

A complaint for theft was eventually filed against the suspect before a Makati City Prosecutor’s Office. Last January 10, the Makati City Police Sub-Station 7 headed by Major Welken Noblejas managed to recover the stolen phone with the help of the president of the Muslim Vendors’ Association in the area.

The stolen phone was returned on the same day by the Makati police to the joyful victim. In her Facebook post, the student thanked Brig. Gen. Torre, Maj. Noblejas, Makati City Police chief, Colonel Jean dela Torre and Southern Police District director, Brig. Gen. Manny Abrugena and their men for recovering her stolen phone.

“Ang inyong malasakit at mabilis na aksiyon ay hindi ko po malilimutan. Salamat po General Torre sa inyong pagsama sa akin upang makipag-ugnayan sa mga pulis at tiyakin na mabilis na matutugunan ang aking sitwasyon. Kahit napadaan lamang po kayo sa Guadalupe bridge at wala pang ilang minute na nahablot ang aking cellphone ay hindi po kayo nagdalawang-isip tulungan ako at samahan sa mga pulis,” the woman said.

She also thanked local barangay officials and the police force who helped her recover her phone. “Maraming salamat po s inyong tulong at sa lahat ng pulis na patuloy na nagsisilbi ng tapat at may malasakit sa kapwa. Huwag po kayong magsawa sa pagtulong sa mga nangangailangan. Nawa’y patuloy po kayong pagpapalain sa inyong serbisyo at sa inyong buhay. Sobrang saludo po ako sa inyong lahat,” she ended.

That incident was like a breath of fresh air in our community where some members of the police force usually become the subject of complaints for their slow action or lack of it when it comes to people who complain they have become victims of street crime. May your tribe increase Sirs and Maa’ms.

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