Cop promoted for ‘supreme sacrifice’

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane posthumously promoted yesterday a rookie police officer who was killed in a shootout in Makati City last Wednesday night.

Ebdane also ordered the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) to expedite the release of all benefits due to the family of Police Officer 1 Aristotle Tacata, of the Makati City police detective beat patrol.

Tacata was promoted to the next rank of Police Officer 2 in recognition of his "supreme sacrifice" in shooting it out with five armed men who robbed the LPC Minimart on Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City last Wednesday.

"He will also receive appropriate awards for his exemplary bravery even when outnumbered," PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil said.

One of the robbers was killed on the spot while another expired while undergoing treatment at the Ospital ng Makati.

Ebdane directed Metro police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco to launch a manhunt for the remaining members of the robbery group.

Bataoil said Tacata will be accorded full funeral honors befitting police officers killed in the line of duty.

"It is unfortunate that one of us had to offer his own life in the performance of duty, but the PNP assures justice will be served," he said.

Tacata received P305,000 in cash – P182,000 was from the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund, P73,000 from the Special Financial Assistance Benefit of the PNP and P50,000 from Ebdane.

Tacata’s sisters Angeline and Carina received the amount on behalf of their mother Carmen who remained in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. She was too weak to fly to Manila.

Carina, who is also a member of the PNP, was also recommended for lateral promotion to the rank of inspector.

She is assigned to the medical department of the Northern Police District as a registered nurse and holds a rank of PO2.

It was Carina who convinced her brother to join the PNP when he was still working as a field engineer here in Manila.

Tacata, who holds a civil engineer degree, was one of the field engineers involved in the construction of the Estrella fly-over in Makati City. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Marvin Sy