SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde on Wednesday lauded the members and key officers of Police Regional Office 1 (Ilocos) for their selfless efforts during the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong and for the crime rate decrease in the region.
“Bagamat nasa panganib din ang inyong pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay, nagawa nyo pa ring tulungan at iligtas ang ating mga kababayan (Even though your families were also affected by the calamity, you still managed to help and save our fellowmen),” he told the region’s uniformed personnel here Wednesday.
Albayalde was guest speaker at PRO-1’s celebration of the 117th Police Service anniversary themed “Pagbabago sa Hanay ng Pulisya, Hatid ay Ligtas na Pamayanan Laban sa Korupsiyon, Krimen at Iligal na Droga”.
“After the devastation brought about by Typhoon Ompong, I hope that Region 1 is now well on its way to recovery. I know that given the resilience and strength of our countrymen in this region, it will not take long before the region is back to normal again,” he added.
The PNP chief also congratulated PRO-1 for the drop in crime incidents.
He said PRO-1 registered a total of 43,671 crime incidents from January to July this year, 24.86 percent less than the 58,121 incidents recorded in the same period last year.
Albayalde also cited the regional police office’s accomplishment in the campaign against illegal drugs.
He reported that from the start of the anti-drug campaign in July 2016 until last August, PRO-1 visited more than one million homes, convinced 39,754 drug personalities to surrender, and arrested of 4,071 others.
“It is worth noting too that PRO-1 has recently intensified its anti-drug war to prevent the possible resurgence of drug problem in barangays that had been declared drug-cleared. The challenge is for you to sustain the declining crime volume in the region,” Albayalde said.
He also underscored the need to continue cleansing the PNP ranks to prevent police “scalawags” from undermining its efforts and achievements.
“May mga pulis pa rin na patuloy sa katiwalian. Huwag natin silang payagan na sirain ang ating organisasyon. (There are still policemen who continue their illegal activities. Let us not allow them to ruin the name of our organization),” Albayalde added.
“We have gone far in our road to reform, and we will continue to move forward amidst the obstacles along the way. With enough determination and courage, we will achieve everything that we have set up to do. What is important is we remain firm and united in the pursuance of the PNP mission. More than this, we must love our country with all our hearts,” he said.
Albayalde led the awarding of recognition to the region’s outstanding policemen and police units.
Recipients of the Individual awards are: Supt. Jovencio Badua Jr. (Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Administration); Supt. Ronald Lee, former provincial director of Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Operations); Chief Insp. Benjie Daireu Umalla (Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer for Administration); Supt. Benjamin Ariola (Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer for Operations); SPO3 Nieva Liza Castro (Best Senior Police Non-Commissioned Officer for Administration); SPO3 Maria Cristina San Juan (Best Senior Police Non-Commissioned Officer for Operations); PO3 Girome Ruiz (Best Junior Police Non-Commissioned Officer for Operations); and Non-Uniformed Personnel Vicky Melchor (Best Non-Uniformed Personnel, non-supervisory level).
A Medalya ng Kasanayan was awarded to PO2 Sunny Perez for honesty as he returned to the owner the PHP114,960 cash he found at CSI Mall San Fernando City.
Meanwhile, the unit awardees were: La Union Police Provincial Office as Best Police Provincial Office; San Fernando City Police Station (Best City Police Station); Manaoag Police Station (Best Municipal Police Station); Pangasinan 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (Best Provincial Mobile Force Company); Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (Best Police Strategy Management Unit); San Fernando City Police Station (Best Women and Children Protection Desk – city level); San Ildefonso Municipal Police Station (Best Women and Children Protection Desk – municipal level); La Union Police Provincial Office (Best Provincial Human Rights Desk); Regional Crime Laboratory Office 1 (Best Regional Operational Support Unit); and Regional Health Service I (Best Regional Administrative Support Unit).
Likewise, special unit awards were given to Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office (Special Unit Award in the Arrest of Most Wanted Person, and Special Unit Award for the Most Number of Accomplishment on Watch-listed Drug Personalities), and 102nd Maneuver Company, RMFBI (Special Unit Award for the Best Maneuver Company).
After the awarding ceremony, Albayalde led the blessing and inauguration of PRO-1’s flagship projects –an auditorium, grotto, finance building, visitors’ lounge, ecumenical prayer facility, and the ceremonial concreting of road network inside the police camp. (Liwayway Yparraguirre/PNA)
