PLt Thomas Zen Cheung, an epitome of courage and strength among the young
By Dave Suan Albarado
One of Bohol’s most famous police officers gave a human dimension to the life of law enforcers, saying that they, too, feel for the downtrodden and those who have less in life.
While many people see police officers as strict and have no feelings when they implement the law to the letter, Lt. Thomas Zen Cheung wants us to know that they, too, are humane – with tenderness, compassion and sympathy especially for those who are in distress and those who think they don’t have a way out from being impoverished.
Cheung is, indeed, fit for the job. He is now the assistant to the head of the Police Community Affairs and Development Unit (PCADU) at Camp Dagohoy. And he is no stranger to interacting with the public and the media, as he was the Camp Dagohoy spokesperson during the stint of Col. Osmundo Salibo.
Cheung highlighted some realities about his job during his presence at The Bohol Tribune’s Open Forum radio program, hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy, on July 18, 2024. He said that with his present assignment, it is very rewarding for him to
look for ways to engage with the community and its people. He said that he feels for those who get in trouble with the law especially those who had and have no options left but to depend on a life of crime in order to survive.
He admitted that there are times when the police spend their own money to help the less fortunate. And they do it voluntarily. They go to remote places and interact with residents from all walks of life with the hope of helping the less fortunate from their daily struggles in life. Cheung said they donate money to the poor out of the goodness of their hearts, and they are not forced to do it – they do it voluntarily. They help build houses, initiate recreation programs and gift-giving activities. They volunteer their resources not because they have to, but because they want to,
This shows the genuine concern of the police to people around them, not just through service and protection but through genuine love and empathy.
Through the PCADU, the police have several programs lined up to engage with the community and foster closer ties with its people. Just like the Libreng Alagad ug Balay (LAB) where the police, in cooperation with the provincial government, provide free homes to chosen and deserving beneficiaries. There have already been 24 homes turned over to beneficiaries of the program, Cheung said. The police volunteer their time to build homes for the needy as well as members of other sectors of society.
Cheung, during the interview, encouraged everyone to value family. He said his closeness to his stepfather matters much to him because it was this person who helped him a lot to be where he is right now. Yes, It was his stepfather who inspired Cheung to enter the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) and become a police officer. Even if he became a commissioned officer and his father figure is a non-commissioned officer, he never forgets to show respect to the person who believed in his capablilites.
Moreover, in his career as an officer, he realized that one cannot please everyone, all the time. It is inevitable, he said, that in any endeavor, there are people who would assess one’s achievements negatively, as well as there are those who would appreciate one’s efforts positively. And he
is a believer of the adage: “It is better to make decisions perceived by others as wrong, rather than not having made a decision at all.”
We are proud of you, PLt. Cheung!
