IF God created man from the image of heroes, Police Brig. Gen. Rizalito Gapas, the director of the Northern Police District (NPD), is just a simple man who has done his best for his career.

Now in his last seven months in the police service, you will never hear this man speak of his achievements, particularly the number of encounters against the enemies of state or the number of medals he has obtained.

Whether he believes or not, one can think the adage “the more success you achieve, the less noise you should make,” best suits this police general.

He never imagined becoming a police official as he was in the 6th year in the seminary when he decided to enter the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in 1991.

After graduating from the PNPA in 1995 he spent the first seven years of his stellar police career at the Special Action Force (SAF), the premiere and most elite fighting unit of the PNP.

That seven-year gruelling stint at the premiere unit of the PNP moulded him to be a police officer capable of handling more sensitive positions as his career progressed.

He spent Day 1 of his police career in 1995 without fanfare in Negros Occidental, then one of the hotbeds of the New Peoples Army, particularly in Escalante City.

There, he experienced being a policeman is not a walk in the park because you’re exposed to extreme dangers that can be fatal if you don’t know how to manage.

From 1995 to present, there was no letup in Gapas’ police career. His various educational training here and abroad broadened his skills and knowledge.

When asked what he thinks is distinct in his career, the police general simply told People’s Tonight: “Maybe most of my assignments were in operations, which is very dangerous.”

A look at Gapas’ curriculum vitae confirmed this man is the best in the humility department as his record speaks for himself.

At home, he finished the scuba diving course, took a very rigid commando training course, search and rescue and explosive ordnance.

In Scotland, he finished a hostage taking negotiation course by the United Kingdom’s Scotland Yard Police, terrorist crime scene investigation training by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and counter terrorist operations by the Australian Federal Police.

In a simple description, this police general from Virac, Catanduanes is capable of leading any combat mission as he possesses the quality of a tough, battle-tested policeman in the mould of France’s GIGN or Israel’s Mossad.

From 2007 to 2009, he was among the few Filipino policemen chosen to become peacekeepers in Ivory Coast. A year after, he again became a member of the United Nations’ peacekeeping force in Darfur, Sudan.

The last five years of his career no one can say that his burning desire to fulfil his mission is waning. In 2019, he was chief of police of Pasig City and predicted the victory of Vico Sotto, the mayor of Pasig City, by landslide.

His last five years in service saw him handling very sensitive posts–regional chief of the Regional Investigation and Detection Unit 5 of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, provincial director of Negros Oriental, chief of staff of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), deputy director for operations of the Intelligence Group (IG) and lastly, deputy director of the PNP-SAF.

Gapas said two of the posts he just handled–the IMEG and IG–were so difficult because he had to deal with fellow police officers. “Almost everybody is aloof with these posts,” he said.

Never imagining the repercussions these posts could bring him, the police official was able to perform his duties at those posts with flying colors.

Since July 2023, the police general has been serving as NPD director covering the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela.

Under him, NPD has achieved remarkable operational accomplishments and witnessed significant events that have left an indelible mark on the community.

The police general spearheaded numerous successful police operations, resulting in the neutralisation of criminal elements, apprehension of wanted persons and the stringent and proactive implementation of the priority programs of the Philippine National Police.

Asked what he learned and realized during his 30-year police career, he said: “Walang pinagsikapan na hindi pinagtagumpayan.”

Come December 31, the first day of the police general as a civilian, he is bent on leading an advocacy group aiming to instill patriotism among Filipinos.

He said the ongoing, or some say worsening, tension at Scarborough Shoal, Recto Bank and other disputed islands at the West Philippine Sea calls for unity and solidarity among Filipinos.

He is wondering why most Filipinos’ sense of patriotism waned during the past few decades.

“Most of those in the younger generation today spend most of their time on TikTok and Mobile Legends. The love for country has been set aside,” Gapas told People’s Tonight.

According to him, Filipinos shouldn’t wait for the day that China has already taken over sovereignty.

He said he is unhappy every time he hears someone wants his family to be together and sets aside doing what he or she can do to defend the country.

Common personal narratives, such as sticking together as family and never mind what will happen as China’s aggressiveness keeps on getting intense, for Gapas is uncalled for.

“Let us keep the spirit of patriotism burning as this is the way we can prove our concern and love for our country,” he said.