SPD salutes 1 cop for honesty, sacks 18 for laxity

PO2 Triumfo Abayon Jr.—PHOTO COURTESYOF SPD

Following the relief of 18 of its policemen the other day for sleeping and drinking while on duty, the Southern Police District (SPD) on Thursday praised one of its members for his act of honesty.

SPD director Chief Supt. Tomas Apolinario Jr., lauded PO2 Triumfo Abayon Jr. for his “good deed and exemplary performance,” during the flag raising ceremony at the SPD headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Abayon, a member of the SPD District Mobile Force Battalion, had turned over to his superior, Senior Supt. Richard Saavedra, a black wallet he found after a concert at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on Wednesday night. Abayon was part of a police team assigned to secure the venue.

The wallet which belonged to a Spanish national, Carlos Franco Sanchez, contained an ATM card issued by a local bank, a credit card and P10,000 in cash. However, there was no local address.

After the police failed to find Sanchez on their own, Abayon went to the Spanish Embassy in Makati City and turned over Sanchez’s wallet.

“The act of Abayon only shows that there are still a lot of good cops, honest cops whose acts are worthy of emulation,” Apolinario said.

The SPD was in the news on Wednesday after 18 policemen from Pasay and Muntinlupa were relieved of their posts when they were caught sleeping or drinking while on duty.

They were found out by Director Oscar Albayalde, National Capital Region Police Office chief, after he conducted surprise checks.

Senior Insp. Mark Oyad, commander of the Muntinlupa Police Community Precinct 4, and PO2 Michael del Monte were relieved after they were caught drinking inside the police station. They reasoned out that they were celebrating someone’s birthday but Albayalde was not appeased.

Two other policemen were also sanctioned for not being in full uniform.

In Pasay City, PCP 8 chief, Senior Insp. Ferdinand Duren, PO3 Joede Rizare and PO1 Michelle Flores were sacked for sleeping while on duty.

Eleven others were also punished for not waking them up. —WITH A REPORT FROM MATTHEW REYSIO-CRUZ