CCPO officer, lay minister is model cop

WITH three God-fearing children working abroad, a dietician wife and a side job as lay minister in a Cebu City parish, Insp. Rogelio Ruiz fits the PNP bill of a model police officer in a nationwide search held last Sept. 3.

Ruiz, chief of the records section of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), was escorted by Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe in receiving P20,000 cash and a plaque of appreciation in Camp Crame.

He is one of five awardees in the program, being a representative of Central Visayas.

The search is a project of the late Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the PNP.

His fellow awardees were SPO4 Igmedio Dugeña of Region 1; Supt. Jesus Reyes of Region 3, Supt. Orlando Gadiola of Region 8 and SPO4 Diogenes Hare of Region 12.

Ruiz is serving as lay minister of San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church in barangay Sambag I, Cebu City where he’s also active as a Couples for Christ member.

His eldest son Marko Giovanne Ruiz and daughter Mary Rocel work in Canada, while his second son Carlo works in the US. “Camp Crame interviewed a lot of my neighbors,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz wife, Cecilia is a chief dietician of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Even after his children graduated, Ruiz said his family shares God’s blessings with their relatives by sending them to school.

He said he was previously assigned at the community relations section of the Punta Princessa police precinct. Ruiz said he visits the barangay daily and persuades residents to be law-abiding citizens.

“I’m active in the community involvement program,” the police official said.

As chief of the Cebu City police’s records section, Buenafe said he helped speed up the processing of police clearances.

Some of Ruiz’s colleagues said his role as lay minister meant he usually led the opening prayer before any activities.

Buenafe, Cebu City police chief, said Ruiz’s commendation could help boost the morale of the Cebu City police.

Aside from taking care of his children, Ruiz said he does his part in influencing people to be God fearing.

“If you serve God, you can become successful in everything you do,” he said. /Correspondent Chito O. Aragon