Kindness begets kindness: A caring Manila cop’s tale

Manila Bulletin| December 23, 2017

By Jaimie Rose Aberia

A police officer’s badge was what the only thing spared by a major fire that reduced a Manila Police District police officer’s residence in Sta. Cruz, Manila to ashes last week.

But an acquaintance who Police Officer 1 Jerome Perez helped a few months back came to his rescue, shared his heroism on social media, and started a fund raising campaign.

Compassionate cop

Food supplier Jomar Sto. Tomas, 37, took to social media to ask help for the cop whom he believes he owes his second life to.

Sto. Tomas recounted that last July 11, he collapsed inside the Public Attorney’s Office in Manila and Perez, who was then off duty, immediately came to his aid.

“Kahit mabigat ako, mula fourth floor ay nagawa nila akong buhatin ng mga kaibigan niya papunta sa clinic sa 2nd floor, dun ako nagkamalay, (Even if I am heavy, he and his friends carried me to the clinic on the second floor, where I regained consciousness),” Sto. Tomas said.

Even after recovering a few hours later, he said Perez insisted that he and his friends drive him home to Caloocan City.

“Kahit piso, hindi po siya tumanggap, tubig inumin lang, (He refused to accept even a single peso, just a drink of water), ” Sto. Tomas said.

Giving back

So when Sto. Tomas learned about the fire that rendered almost 200 families in Sta. Cruz, Manila homeless, he immediately thought of Perez.

“It is high time, sa tingin ko, na maibalik naman ang pasasalamat ko sa Police Officer na si Jerome. Maliit lang ang magagawa ko on my own, but with others’ help, malaki ang effect nito para makabangon siya at ang pamilya niya muli, (It is high time, I think, to give back to Policde Officer Jerome. My humble effort, with the help and support of others, will help him and his family recover from the fire),” he said.

It was Perez who initially posted a photograph of his badge, which was the only thing that survived the blaze, with the caption “when the only thing you have is your honor and your badge,” which was reposted by Sto. Tomas and shared by Facebook page “BuhayLespu.”

Badge of honor

“Hindi ko na inexpect na nandun pa ‘yung badge ko kasi totally, sunog lahat, pati important papers ko, (I did not expect that I would still find my badge because our home was totally burned. Even my important documents were not spared,)” the 25-year-old Perez told the Manila Bulletin.

The post quickly caught the attention of netizens, with some, sharing his story and some, pledging help.

Grateful

“Sobra-sobra ang pasasalamat ko, marami pong nag-me-message sa akin. Nung time po kasi na ‘yun ginawa ko lang ang sa tingin ko ay tama. Kahit sino naman po, kahit hindi pulis ay gagawin iyon, (I am deeply grateful because I received a lot of messages. When I helped him that time, I only did what I knew was right. Anybody, would do the same,)” he said.

Perez said his parents and six other siblings are now temporarily staying at the residence of a relative in Tondo, Manila.

A family abode

Asked what he wanted to receive this Christmas, Perez said that he only wants a temporary shelter for his family.

“Sa ngayon po, priority talaga ‘yung malilipatan kasi po mahirap ‘yung walang bahay, (For now, my priority is really to find a house because it is difficult to be homeless,)” he said.