Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — “Without the people we cease to exist.”
This was the reminder Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Deputy Dir. Gen. Leonardo Espina gave to police during an impromptu speech at a flag-raising ceremony on Monday morning (July 13).
Related: Espina to cops: Monogamy is key to avoid corruption
In his four-minute speech, Espina urged the police to serve the public as they are the reason for the existence of the PNP.
Espina, a three-star police general, is set to retire on Thursday (July 16).
Here is the full text of his speech:
Of course, first Atty. Felicia De Lima, Dir. Benjamin Magalong, Dir. Willie Franco, Chief Supt. Baraceros, all the recipients of the compliance to our PGS, mga minamahal kong mga opisyales, directorial staff and officers of the Philippine National Police, to my beloved wife, Dinna, most especially to all the noncommissioned officers of the Philippine National Police as well as all nonuniformed personnel of the PNP, my brothers and sisters in the media, ladies and gentlemen, my friends.
This is my last flag raising ceremony in the service.
Di ko po puwedeng palampasin ito ng hindi man lang nagsasalita sa inyo upang kayo ay lahat ay pasalamatan sa lahat ng kabutihan inyong pinaggagawa para sa ating mga mamamayan. Ako po ay hindi naghanda ng isang talumpati o speech dahil gusto ko pong manggaling itong lahat ng aking sasabihin sa kaibuturan ng aking puso.
Words are not enough to express my gratitude to all of you, especially during these seven months which were crucial to our institution. I could not have hurdled it successfully without you prodding me on to go on, without you assisting me in every step of the way.
Di ko malaman kung paano kayo mapapasalamatan at ang ating institusyon ang inilagay niyo above anything else, and above personal and self-interests. Maraming maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat.
Secondly, I would like to urge everybody to just continue on serving our people. We owe it to them; they are the very reasons for our existence. Without the people, without the community, without the public in general, we cease to exist.
That’s why gentlemen, we may retire, I will be retiring on Thursday, I’ll be handing the command leadership to the next chief [of the] PNP.
Tuloy-tuloy ang ating trabaho, tuloy-tuloy ang ating serbisyo, bearing the motto always on our shoulders of “Service, Honor, and Justice.”
Gentlemen, again, di ko na po papahabain dahil napakahaba na po ng aking pasasalamat sa inyo. Kung iisa-isahin ko ay aabutin pa tayo ng more than 38 years ng pasasalamat sa inyong lahat.
