Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief, received the award from Miguel Varela, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and head of the NCRPO’s Council of Elders during a simple ceremony at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.
Varela, assisted by NCRPO chief Director Ricardo de Leon, also handed out a ‘Medalya ng Kasanayan’ to Velasquez and other retiring and active personnel of the command for their dedication to duty and the police service, particularly in the campaign against "kotong" cops.
De Leon said the Best Unit Award was given to the Mandaluyong police for their exemplary performance in sustaining the campaign against criminality.
Chief Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), said the Mandaluyong police recently foiled two bus robberies, including the neutralization of three bus robbers by hero cop SPO2 Charlito Corpuz.
Corpuz, a former member of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), single-handedly shot it out with three robbers inside an aircon bus last week, killing them. He was wounded in the right arm.
Valenzuela said Velasquez’s men also arrested three bus robbers after they shot two passengers during a robbery last May 6.
Six policemen — Chief Inspector Bienvy Calag, Inspector Cesar Bejuna, SPO2 Danilo Quintana, PO2 Renato Quicio and PO1 Albert Fontanilla and PO1 Ronald Peyra — were recommended for promotion for their role in the arrest of the suspects.
De Leon said while his office is rendering swift judgment against "kotong" cops they are also quick to cite those "who serve the community."
"We are hoping that by awarding deserving personnel for exemplary performance and devotion to duty would encourage others to emulate their good example," De Leon told The STAR.
Meanwhile, 396 new recruits formally joined the ranks of the NCRPO after completing eight months of intensive training.
De Leon welcomed the rookie policemen yesterday as he warned them against abusing their newly-acquired authority as law enforcers, to embody the ideals of the Philippine National Police, and to uphold their sworn duty to serve and protect.