Bacalzo pins Kagalingan medal on a police officer who joined an operation that killed eight alleged rebels in Rizal town.
CABANATUAN CITY – Philippine National Police Director Gen. Raul Bacalzo pinned on Tuesday the Medalya ng Kagalingan on ten policemen who led and joined the recent operation that resulted to the killing of eight alleged rebels in a supposed robbery attempt in Rizal, Nueva Ecija.
Bacalzo, along with Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, Nueva Ecija police director, said he toured this city to show love to the policemen who may also get hurt or wounded in enforcing the law.
He also underscored the success of some police forces, that managed to defend their station from attacking rebels despite being outnumbered. One police station, he said, with only eleven men, including two trainees, managed to resist the assault of some 100 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.
The awardees were Supt. Ricardo Villanueva, head of the provincial intelligence branch; Supt.Edgar Allan Okubo, head of the provincial public Safety Company (PPSC) Insp. Romel Dela Vega, SPO2 Jaime Magno, Jr., PO2s Aristeo Gumarang, Jacinto Gregorio Jr., Julius Lalosin, Erwin Benedicto, Ruel Acosta and PO1 Joel Dimuan.
They were rewarded for the “highly commendable performance displayed during operation” that resulted to the killing of the alleged rebels who were reportedly about to stage a hold-up in the area. The operation was made with soldiers from the Army’s 81st and 46th Infantry Battalion last Friday.
“Such tenacity in the performance of duty is a manifestation of the intense desire of these police officers to rid our society of criminal elements who violate the law and take advantage of our helpless citizens,” the citation reads.
He said the shortage in equipment has been offset by the police’s readiness and skills.
This as the government implements some programs, he stressed, to beef up the PNP capability. These include procurement of firearms, P200 million worth of communication equipments and construction of some 39 municipal police stations. There still 15 stations in the pipeline, he said.
“Sunod-sunod ang training na ating ginawa because the basic component of readiness is training, developing confidence and skills,” he said.
