Heroic lady cops are apple of Aquino’s eye

By: Kristine Angeli Sabillo - 10 years ago

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III may have yet to find his lady love, but the heroic acts of lady cops are enough to keep him going.

Aquino on Tuesday hailed policewomen for their performance after the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) and during the daring jewelry heist at SM Mall of Asia on March 30.

The President lauded Police Inspector Marjorie Manuta, the lone female awardee at the “Araw ng Parangal sa Kapulisan” on Tuesday at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“Dito pinaparangalan natin ang mga taong talaga namang marangal at talaga namang ipinakita ang gilas, tulad ‘nung atin pong opisyal na taga-Tacloban (We are here to recognize the people who are truly honorable and have showed their mettle, just like one official from Tacloban),” Aquino said before asking Manuta to stand up and be recognized by her peers.

He recalled how the police officer, who received a merit medal for braving the aftermath of “Yolanda” so she may report to work, knew how to compose herself in the face of crisis.

“When we arrived at Tacloban, she was the one who first briefed us, during which, number one, she knew what she was saying; number two, her dedication showed – walking five to six kilometres because she knew that law enforcers were needed, especially during incidents of looting in Tacloban,” Aquino said in Filipino.

Manuta, who is the City Operations Officer of the Tacloban City Police Office, was only one of the 20 local policemen who reported for work the day after the typhoon.

“This lady, at the risk to herself, at the risk of leaving her family unattended, performed her duty to which we are now acknowledging,” the President said.

Aquino also made a special mention of the lady cops who engaged in gun fight and were able to arrest one of the suspects in the daring MOA heist last Sunday.

“The four policewomen, with drawn firearms engaged the robbers in a shootout. They did not think twice…or waited for the commotion to stop before approaching. They went there and defended the people,” he said.

The superiors of the four women, who were apparently rookie cops, earlier said they were an inspiration to the rest of the police force. The policewomen were not only able to arrest a suspect but also wounded at least two others who unfortunately escaped.

During the recognition day, Aquino awarded policemen with medals for their work in response to the Zamboanga City crisis in September, the Bohol earthquake in October and Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in November. Policemen who also showed acts of bravery in connection to the anti-insurgency, anti-terrorism and anti-illegal drugs were also awarded.

The team responsible for arresting erstwhile fugitive businessman Delfin Lee were also given medals of heroism. However, former Task Force Tugis head Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa was not included.

A Philippine National Police official said offhand that the recognition was reserved for the “footmen” of the police force or those who were on the ground. However, he said Capa was the one who recommended the awardees of Task Force Tugis.

In the latter part of his speech, Aquino also alluded to Capa, berating him for being picky in his new appointment.

Since the celebrated capture of Lee, Capa has been re-assigned as the Deputy Regional Director for Operations of the Central Visayas Regional Police Office.

Among the high-ranking police officers awarded by Aquino with special service medals were Police Deputy Director General Felipe Lozada Rojas Jr., for heading the PNP contingent in Tacloban City, and Police Director Carmelo Espina Valmoria, as ground commander and head of the special action force (SAF) troops that fought the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members in Zamboanga City.

After the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” last November 8, policemen from all over the country were sent to typhoon-hit provinces to enforce law and order following reports of looting and the breakdown of local government.

Meanwhile, PNP officials were also among those who responded when the MNLF faction led by founder Nur Misuari clashed with government forces in Zamboanga City on September 9.