PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. welcomed the youngest members of the PNP Officer Corps in Camp Crame and hosted a traditional service lunch for graduates of "Oman-Silang Class 2008" of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

"You may now consider yourselves the younger brothers and sisters of Mamang Pulis and Aling Pulis who will help the PNP family bring back the old glory of the police force," Razon told the 127 new officers.

President Arroyo will officially appoint 154 members of PNPA Class 2008 into the police, fire, and jail services during their graduation rites at the PNPA campus in Camp Castañeda in Silang, Cavite today, March 27.

Of the 154 graduates of PNPA Class 2008, 127 are joining the PNP, while 27 will be commissioned into the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

The 127 newest members of the PNP Officer Corps, 27 of whom are females, will be appointed into the police service with the initial rank of Police Inspector in Permanent Status.

"Your responsibility to lead comes with the rank that you hold. But rank alone as a sole basis of leadership is weak. Effective leadership must be founded on professional competence, and your ability to inspire others and lead by example," Razon emphasized to the 127 new officers.

During the induction ceremony in Camp Crame, the 127 new Police Inspectors were issued their PNP Badges, service firearms, and Police Individual Equipment.

In the same ceremony, Razon released the first individual paychecks of the new police officers amounting to P21,876.38, representing salary and allowances for the period March 27-April 30, 2008.

After graduation on Thursday, PNPA Class 2008 will be allowed a 30-day academic break, after which they will report for duty on April 28 to undergo a 30-day orientation training on PNP administration and operations before they are sent to their new assignments in the field.

Among the members of PNPA Class 2008 who are joining the PNP are the Class Valedictorian, Cadet Clent Ven Inciso of Southern Leyte; the Corps First Captain, Cadet Fred Lenomta; and the Class President, Cadet Ronald Estilles Jr. of Parañaque City; and identical twins, Cadets Danilo and Daniel Yema of Lipa City.

Inciso will receive the Presidential Kampilan Award from President Arroyo in the PNPA graduation rites today.

The Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) will hold today its 29th graduation ceremonies for the 154 cadets of Oman Silang Class 2008 at Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite with President Arroyo as the guest of honor and speaker.

Joining President Arroyo will be Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) president, Dr. Margarita Cojuangco, who will confer the degree of Bachelor of Science in Public Safety (BSPS) to the graduating cadets who will be presented for conferment by PNPA Director, Chief Supt. Danilo Abarzosa.

Oman Silang Class 2008 is composed of 122 male and 32 female cadets, four of whom are licensed teachers and three criminologists.

Originally, the class had 220 cadets cadets composed of 177 males and 43 females who were admitted to the four-year BSPS Cadetship Program on April 1, 2004. However, only 131 original members of Class 2008 or 60 percent completed the program. They are joined by 23 cadets from Classes 2006 and 2007.

Abarzosa said that from the 155 graduating PNPA cadets, 127 will join the Philippine National Police (PNP), 20 to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and seven to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). The PNP, BFP and BJMP are the three uniformed bureaus of DILG.

The class name Oman Silang means "a whole new breed of gallantry and courage." Oman is an Arabic word which means royal, warrior and courage, and Silang is a Filipino word which means born or new.

Cdt Clent Ven Dulfo Inciso of Southern Leyte is this year’s PNPA Class 2008 top notcher. He will receive the Presidential Kampilan from the Chief Executive for having obtained the over-all excellence in academic and non-academic subjects and for graduating No. 1 in the graduate final merit roll of BSPS Class 2008 and the chief, Philippine National Police (PNP) Kampilan for obtaining the highest over-all rating and proficiency among the 128 graduates joining the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Second placer is Cdt Henrix Parcon Bancoleta of Bacolod City, who will be awarded the Vice Presidential Kampilan for having obtained the second over-all excellence in academic and non-academic subjects and for graduating No. 2 in the graduation final merit roll of BSPS Class 2008. Cdt Bancoleta is a BS Computer Science graduate.

Third honor graduate is Cdt Rogelio Lutero Pacificar Jr of Badiangan, Iloilo, the recipient of the Chairperson, PPSC Board of Trustees Kampilan for having obtained the third over-all excellence in academic and non-academic subjects and for graduating No. 3 in the graduation final merit roll of BSPS Class 2008.

New graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) were formally inducted permanent and regular commissioned police officers of the Philippine Natioonal Police with the rank of Police Inspector (2nd Lieutenant) and were exhorted yesterday by PNP chief Director General Avelino I. Razon Jr. to carry out their duty "in the highest degree of integrity, transparency and accountability".

The 127 members of the PNP Class 2008, the majority of the 154 PNPA cadets this year, will formally graduate today with President Arroyo, as guest of honor and speaker at the graduation ceremonies at the PNPA in Camp Castaneda, Silang City, Cavite.

Of the 127, who opted to join the police service, 100 are male and 27 are female. The rest of the members of the class will join the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Bureau of Jail and Management and Penology.

In his message during the formal acceptance yesterday held at the Multi-Purpose Hall in Camp Crame, Razon issued his six-points guidance which, he said, must be kept in the minds and hearts of the new police officers and guide their future actions.

1. Bring to justice those who violate the law and committed crimes by responding promptly to arrest and prosecute the law violators since conviction and punishment are the effective deterrent against criminality.

2. Give high priority on the protection of human life and that should always be reflected in every aspect of police conduct adding that even in the most confrontational and violent situations all reasonable means must be exercised to prevent injury and harm to anyone.

3. Respect human rights and help strengthen democracy since the Philippines is a democratic country.

4. Maintain the highest standard of integrity in every actions, be honest, God-fearing and dedicated law enforcer.

5. Consider the PNP’s human resources as the institution’s greatest asset and, therefore, every officer must support the officers professional development.

6. We should be highly visible in communities and assist to solve neighborhood problems consistent with the principles of community policing.