CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, PALO, Leyte- The regional office of the Philippine National Police joined in the celebration of the police force’s 119th Police Service Anniversary last Thursday (August 6).
Awards were given to police personnel, police station and offices and stakeholders lead by Police Regional office 8 Regional Director Brigadier Gen. Bernabe Balba.
Also present during the simple ceremony was Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto, representing Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla.
This year’s individual awardees were PCol Andre Dizon, Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Administration; Col. Jonathan Caval, Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for operations; Cpt. Antonio Angcay of Abuyog Municipal Police Station, Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer for Administration; LtCol Harry Sucayre, Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer for operations; PSMS Ma. Alde Leuterio of Tacloban City Police Office, Best Senior PNCO for Administration, and PSSg Ulysses Son Estonio, Best Junior PNCO for Operations.
Also given award were Kristine Sayadi as Best Non-Uniformed Personnel (NUP) Supervisory level, and Joseph Pacquing, Best NUP Non-supervisory level.
For unit awardees, recipients were Leyte Police Provincial Office as Best Provincial Police Office, Ormoc City Police Office for Best City Police Office, Maasin City Police Station for Best City Police Station, Sogod Municipal Police Station for Best Municipal Police Station, 2nd Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company for Provincial Mobile Force Company, Ormoc City Mobile Force Company for City Mobile Force Company, 801st Maneuver Company for Best Maneuver Company, Regional Legal Office 8 and Regional Health Service 8 for Best Regional Administrative Support Unit, Criminal Investigation Detection Group Regional Field Unit 8 for Best Regional Operational Support Unit, Capul Municipal Police Station Women and Children Protection Desk as Best Women and Children Protection Desk, and Samar Provincial Police Strategy Management Unit as Best PSMU.
Special awards were also given to PMaj Edwin Oloan Jr, Patrol Francis; B/Gen Marvin Manuel Pepino; and PCol. Edwin Buenavista Wagan.
Among stakeholders, awardees were Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, 8th Infantry Division Commander MGen Pio Diñoso III, PB/Gen. Herminio Tadeo Jr;, Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez; Tingog party-list Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez; NICA Regional Director Eustacio Bacabac; Gov.Petilla; Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado; Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez; Palo Mayor Frances Ann Petilla; Department of Health Regional Director Minerva Molon; Northern Samar board member Florencio Batula Jr.; Tanauan Mayor Pelagio Tecson Jr.; Office of Civil Defense; Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tacloban-Leyte; and Dominador Aguirre Jr., president of the Eastern Visayas State University, among others.
Vice Gov.Loreto, in his message, said that with the fast-changing times, he hopes that the police force will remain to become relevant especially now that the country is facing health crisis brought by the corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic.
PGen. Archie Gamboa, through a simultaneous live video message to all regional police offices in the country, said that this year’s celebration focuses on the mandate and resiliency of the PNP at the time of pandemic.
“The COVID-19 crisis is already having and will continue to have devastating consequences for individuals and communities within our country and across the globe, which must not be underestimated. At the same time, the crisis also provides a critical opportunity for us to learn more about the essential principles underpinning large-scale transformative change and innovative solutions to survive the said pandemic. Together as a team, we will win this war,” Gamboa said. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
