PNP awards exemplary, high-performing police officers

NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Melencio Nartatez (Photo screengrab from PNP’s Facebook livestream)

MANILA, Philippines — Police officers who contributed to the arrest of those involved in the kidnapping of four foreigners in Pasay and the Canadian linked to the multi-billion peso drug haul in Batangas, among others, received awards from the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In an awarding ceremony on Thursday, the PNP conferred the award to the following police officials and officers:

READ: Explainer: How the P9.68 billion shabu haul in Batangas was counted

• Maj. Gen Jose Melencio Nartatez – National Capital Region Police (NCRPO) chief
• Col. Jess Mendez – NCRPO Regional Intelligence Division chief
• Lt. Col. Edmar Christian Allen Dungan Tuburan – NCRPO
• Maj. Arvin Esquerra Hosmillo – NCRPO
• Maj. Jem Lamar Delantes – NCRPO
• Col. Samuel Baobao Pabonita – Pasay City Police Station chief
• Col. Edward Madlaeng Cutiyog – Makati City Police Station chief
• Cpt. Christopher Bandayanon Catamora – Southern Police District
• Chief Master Sgt. Mark Waren Tino – Southern Police District
• Staff Sgt. Jay Bryan Vispo Laurel – NCRPO
• Staff Sgt. Wilbur Santos Ramos – Quezon City Police District
• Staff Sgt. Raymond Herrera Suriaga – NCRPO
• Staff Sgt. Richard Aggabao Gatan – NCRPO
• Staff Sgt. Romeo Dicomotan Dimaculangan – Southern Police District
• Staff Sgt. Marwin Abdula Alihuddin – NCRPO
• Cpl. Pio Ornada Dela Pena – Eastern Police District

Based on NCRPO records, Tuburan was awarded “for his distinguished service and exemplary leadership” during the manhunt operation against Canadian national Thomas O-Quinn, one of the suspects in the over P9-billion shabu haul in Alitagtag town, Batangas, last April 15.

Delantes, on the other hand, also received the “Medalya ng Katangitanging Gawa” for the arrest of four police officers over kidnapping three Chinese and a Malaysian in Pasay City.

The same award was given to Pabonita for the arrest of Gerrard Raymond Yu, allegedly behind the shooting incident along Ayala Edsa in Makati that resulted in the death of a stay-in driver last May 28.

According to PNP chief General Rommel Marbil, the police officers who earned the awards during a ceremony at the National Capital Region Police Office headquarters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig, likewise received monetary compensation.

“Gusto po natin pag may ginawa ang pulis natin mabilis ang commendation binibigyan natin sila ng financial award not because gusto nating bayaran but yung nagastos nila dun sakanilang operation for them to again do their job,” Marbil said during an ambush interview after the event.

(When our police do something good, we want to commend them immediately; we give them a financial award not because we want to pay them but to compensate them for the money they spent during their operation.)

Penalty for erring cops

For erring police personnel and officers, Marbil said that they are now in the process of changing PNP’s performance evaluation to help them assess their members individually.

“Para yung tao talaga they perform well ito po yung gusto natin. Kung ano ang problema ng region we will address it and we will in any way measure any commander kasama po yung mga taong na-involve, once na ma-involve of course may kapalit,” the PNP chief said.

(We do this so that the police will perform well. Whatever problem the region has, we will address it and assess the commanders, including the people involved; once involved, of course, there will be a punishment.)

“Marami rin po tayong mai-improve but right now ang difference pagka may nainvolve na pulis kasama na rin po yung commander we put accountability in the commander, yun ang ginagawa natin to,” he also said.

(We also have a lot to improve, but the difference from then and now is that we put the commander accountable.)