Around 600 children whose parents were mostly drug sureenderees in Caloocan City received gifts from the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday.
The gift-giving program dubbed as “Santa Chief’s Gift-Giving” was led by Northern Police District director Chief Supt. Armando Clifton Empiso and Caloocan City police chief Sr. Supt. Jemar Modequillo.
The policemen clad with Santa hats, handed out gifts to the children at the covered court of Caloocan City High School.
Empiso said the activity was one way of showing that the “police are not enemies.”
“This holiday season, we want to show to them that we are not their enemies. We are their friends,” Empiso said.
Aside from the giving of gifts, games and magic show were also held to entertain the children.
“We want to show to the kids that policemen are good people,” Modequillo said.
Renato Barcenas, 35, a former drug dependent who graduated together with his wife from the rehabilitation program, attended the event, saying he is not afraid of policemen anymore.
“Entering the program changed my life. More blessings are coming to my family,” Barcenas added.
Barcenas, who was assigned as barangay watchman after he finished the program, encouraged other drug suspects to surrender.
“We still have time to correct our mistake. Let’s do this for our family, especially to our children,” he said.
Meantime, a man lost his life because of a conflict that started when he was accused by a vendor for stealing a fighter cock Friday night in Caloocan.
Police said John Paloma, 44, production staff, of Pando, Bulacan, was stabbed to death by Domingo Banguilan, 56, vendor, of Quezon City.
Eare Perez, 23, security guard of an establishment along Nadurata Street, was on duty when he heard a person shouting around 9 p.m.
Upon checking, he saw Banguilan armed with a butterfly knife (balisong) and stabbed Paloma in the neck and back. (Kate Louise B. Javier)
