I’M saying this in the wake of the big fuzz raised by some critics of the government, even some members of the press about the initial ‘estimates’ made by top government officials regarding the volume of shabu intercepted by the police in Alitagtag, Batangas last Monday.

Having covered the Philippine National Police since it was created in 1991, I’m no stranger to countless incidents of officials making estimates on the amount of drugs seized until official weighing showed their guess is really inaccurate.

Different dictionaries define ‘estimate’ as to ‘roughly calculate or judge the value, number quantity, or extent of something. In Tagalog,’ we always hear the words ‘humigit-kumulang, tinatantiya, pinapalagay o tinatayang halaga’ being uttered by officials when asked on the number of fatalities in a fire, typhoon, earthquake or in a major drug bust.

One classic case of an estimate was made by my friend, now retired Police General Elmer Soria who was the Police Regional Office director in Eastern Visayas when Super Typhoon Yolanda hit the region in November 2013. Now the mayor of San Marcelino, Zambales, Soria was quoted as saying that the super typhoon could have left 10,000 people dead in Tacloban City and other parts of the region.

Soria was relieved of his command in the aftermath of his ‘estimate’ which angered officials of the former P-noy Aquino administration which came under heavy criticism over its lack of preparation to protect the public before, during and after the super typhoon struck.

In the end, the Aquino government placed the Yolanda death toll at 6,300 but many experts said that a full tally of the lives lost may never be achieved since so many remained missing in the wake of the typhoon devastation.

Eleven years after, some people are really trying to turn into a major issue the ‘estimate’ on the volume of shabu seized in Alitagtag as mentioned by President Bongbong Marcos, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, the PDEA and the PNP leaderships. This has actually caused some disruptions to the ongoing follow-up operations and investigation.

It seems to me that our officials have committed a major offense when they uttered an approximate opinion regarding the amount and worth of the drugs recovered when simple logic will explain that after all the scientific quantitative and qualitative examination, or the simple weighing of the evidence minus the packaging is through, the initial estimate won’t be the same.

The PNP headed by General Rommel Marbil has clarified that only around 1.4 tons of shabu worth P9.68 billion were recovered in Aligtagtag last April. The actual amount was discovered after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency which gave the initial nearly two tons and P13.3-billion estimate finished its weighing job, said another friend, PDEA Assistant Secretary Rene Gumban

That’s it. What we need to do right now is wait for the result of the ongoing PNP investigation into the foiled multi-billion drug smuggling try. Who smuggled them? How? When? Where? Was it the first time? Where they really produced in Pakistan/Afghanistan? Do they have connections in the government? When will they be destroyed? Will there be more personalities to be charged? These are some of the questions that needs to be answered sooner or later.

We also have to thank the police authorities led by those from the Police Regional Office 4-A headed by Brigadier Gen. Kenneth Lucas and the Alitagtag Municipal Police Station led by Captain Luis de Luna who stumbled upon the major drug smuggling case and worked for days or weeks to see to it that the smuggled drugs will be recovered.

Describing the interception of the drugs in Alitagtag as a ‘historic milestone’ in Philippine law enforcement indeed would be an understatement. Congratulations to Gen. Marbil and his men too for seeing to it that the major drug haul would be made without anybody getting killed.

ON FORGIVENESS AND PROMOTION

On a personal note, I would like to share a very meaningful message sent to me about what is forgiveness. It says that ‘forgiveness’ means different things to different people but in general, it involves an intentional decision to let go of resentment and anger. It means letting go of the act that hurt or offended you since it may always be with you.

To all our leaders including dear Fathers and Mothers, I read that one of the best ways to appreciate God’s creation is to love them. Thus, forgiveness is the only ingredient to make our love known to this world. It really means a conscious and deliberate decision to release those who have offended us in one way or another.

It’s really true that when we don’t forgive our offenders, we tend to remain bitter and it really causes us more harm than good. As they say, not forgiving our offenders could hinder us from accessing more in life like good health, promotion and blessings.

I shared these wonderful words on forgiveness knowing fully well about the predicament of some of our government officials including military and police officers whose promotion are being delayed for reasons known only to the higher-ups.

Last January, Sec. Abalos announced there will be no longer delays in the promotion of 3rd-Level Officers in the PNP but sanctions and penalties will be just as swift “for misconduct and breach of discipline.’

The good secretary also pointed out that employing the “reward and punishment’’ scheme is part of the plan to “professionalize’’ and improve the service of the police force. “We will be quick in giving recognition for good performance, but at the same time, we will be as quick and as judicious in imposing punishments,” he said.

The DILG approved a Napolcom resolution which imposes a 30-day timeline to complete the processing of recommendations for the promotion of police officers with the ranks of Police Colonel to Police Lieutenant General on that same day as part of the government’s effort to further improve the morale of the police force and inspire them to work more harder to to keep peace and order in the country.

“As long as the documentary requirements are complete, walang problema It will be acted upon within 30 days. Iyan ang hard and fast rule,” he said. Sec. Abalos said that after a Napolcom evaluation and confirmation by the Civil Service Commision, the promotional folders/documents will be forwarded to the Office of the Executive Secretary before the approval of PBBM.