3 city cops get awards

CEBU, Philippines - Three members of the Cebu City Police Office will receive awards from the Philippine National Police for thwarting a robbery at an uptown mall last year.

Police Officer 2 Elrich Jourdin Catacutan will receive the Most Outstanding Police Non-Commissioned Officer award during the annual PNP Recognition Day at Camp Crame on Monday.

Catacutan will also receive a special citation along with PO2s Roy Ceniza and Ernesto Silva, Jr. PNP Director General Nicanor Bartolome will personally hand over the awards to them.

Catacutan, Ceniza, and Silva, all assigned to the Mobile Patrol Group of CCPO, shot it out with a group of robbers who robbed a bank teller at Robinson’s Place in September last year.

Catacutan and Ceniza were wounded during the incident, in which three suspected robbers were killed.

The leader of the group, Dionisio Cabatingan alias Junjun Cabando, was recently arrested.

CCPO director Melvin Ramon Buenafe said he recommended Catacutan for the award for his “significant accomplishment.”

“This is a distinct pride and honor for the Cebu City Police Office. This will serve as an inspiration to all police personnel to perform better,” Buenafe said yesterday.

Last Monday, a ceremonial pinning of ranks was held for police officers promoted from PO1until SPO4.

A chevron was also pinned to Catacutan, Ceniza, and Silva. The patch signifies additional rank for the three policemen, who were still Police Officers 1 at the time of the heist.

Catacutan will be the only one to go to Camp Crame to receive the award and the special citation on behalf of Ceniza and Silva.

Buenafe said the CCPO will finance Catacutan’s trip.

The CCPO director further said that during his watch, Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, head of the City Intelligence Branch, was awarded as Best Police Commissioned Officer while San Nicolas Police Station was awarded as best police station last year.

These awards were given in separate ceremonies in Camp Crame, Buenafe said. Catacutan said he is overwhelmed by the award.

“Overwhelming because I’m proud of myself, my parents, and on behalf of CCPO,” he said.

Former Police Regional Office-7 director Ager Ontog also gave Catacutan and Ceniza the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting (PNP Wounded Personnel Medal) while the two were still recuperating at the hospital due to the gunshot wounds they sustained during the shootout.

— /LPM (FREEMAN)