“A touch of red.”
A simple yet obviously careless directive from the Davao Regional Police Office to the Davao City Police Office requesting for augmentation of security during the recent political rally in Davao del Norte has become a nasty stain that has tainted the neutrality of the Philippine National Police in this election period.
Whilst the Philippine National Police (PNP) is expected to remain neutral and apolitical, especially during election periods, wearing political colors like the “touch of red” directive during a rally by the President’s party which identifies itself with the red motif resonates as a form of political endorsement, which goes against the principle of neutrality.
The red-clad cops during the rally was strongly debunked by netizens who questioned the PNP’s ability to stay politically neutral. The directive was obviously crafted with a motive not intended to stay on neutral grounds. For if the PNP stayed on course with neutrality, it can easily opt to go with neutral colors or colors that do not identify with political parties. For easy reference, it is a no brainer that red is for the administration party of President Marcos, green for the Duterte-led team, yellow for Liberals and pink for former VP Leni Robredo’s side.
So why red?
The police officers could have avoided wearing any attire that could be perceived as showing political bias.
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) stated that the order was a standard security measure and not politically motivated. However, the police did not comment on the choice of red as the color for their OOTD.
Despite their assertion of neutrality, DCPO cannot get away from public criticism. That’s because the obvious cannot be ignored. Res ipsa loquitor, as the legal maxim states which means “the thing speaks for itself.” It shows the lack of prudence, let alone common sense, from the PNP to direct its men to wear Marcos red during the rally.
Unless that was a directive from somewhere more powerful.
