PNP unveils new Rafael Crame monument in Quezon City camp

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday inaugurated the new monument of Brigadier General Rafael Crame at his namesake police camp in Quezon City.

Crame was the first Filipino chief of the Philippine Constabulary, which was founded in 1901 and considered as the forerunner organization of the PNP.

Present in the ceremony were PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas and National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairperson Dr. Rene Escalante.

They led the police and national officials in the unveiling ceremony of the solid bronze statue at the PNP National Headquarters.

The PNP commissioned sculptor Jose Dionas Roces for the General Crame Monument project. He is also the sculptor of the monument of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal in Calamba City.

Crame’s descendants Roman A. Azanza Jr. and Christine Crame also attended the event representing the Crame family.

According to PNP, Crame joined the Constabulary as a young lieutenant in 1902 and was known for peace and order campaigns during the start of the American colonial period.

He was also presented the American Medal of Valor for his work in suppressing the Manila Mutiny of 1921. However, he declined the highest form of medal, saying: “I was only doing my job,”.

Crame died on January 1, 1927.

“The old concrete General Crame monument that stood in Camp Crame since the 1950s has been moved to Malabon City, the place of birth of General Crame, while his remains were exhumed from the Manila North Cemetery and re-interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio in 2003,” the PNP said. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News