Fireman one of ‘117 heroes’ honored

"Hindi po ako mag-sasawa na magbalik ng pera ng iba, lalo pa sa mga nasunugan," thus said Valenzuela City Fire Marshal Chief Inspector Agapito Nacario. Nacario, who led a group of firemen in a fire incident in Caloocan City, recovered and returned to the owner some P100,000 during a March 2005 fire incident. Such incident was not isolated because they have returned money and valuables to fire victims in several instances where sometimes the money was over P1 million.

"Marami na po yung mga pagkakataon na nagbalik kami ng pera, masarap po ang pakiramdam ng makatulong," Nacario told The STAR in an interview before the awarding ceremony at the Manila Hotel yesterday afternoon.

Nacario was one of the 13 individuals awarded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Junior Chamber International Philippines (JCI) for playing the role of "117 Heroes" that had led to saving lives and properties during crime incidents and emergency situations.

Patrol 117 is an anti-crime and the development program of the DILG and Napolcom where distressed persons may call or text its hotline if they need assistance in cases of emergency.

Aside from Nacario, five Metro Manila police stations and four fire stations will be cited at the 5th Annual Search for the heroes of 117 for their quick response to emergency calls relayed by concerned citizens through Hotline 117.

DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno hailed the awardees as "modern day heroes who went out of their way to make a difference in saving lives and properties and in fighting crime."

"Their heroic deeds should indeed be recognized and, hopefully, will serve as an inspiration for others to emulate," Puno said.

Puno said two civilian awardees are teacher Roselyn Gorospe and Barangay Almanza Dos Punong Barangay Vicente Alovera Jr., whose calls to Hotline 117 led to the quick response to a fire incident in Caloocan City and the neutralization of a hostage taker in Las Piñas in March last year, respectively.

Adjudged best operators are Nelson Sungahid who received a call that had led to the arrest of the biggest illegal drug distributor in Novaliches, Quezon City in 2005 and FO1 Nadine Macaranas who received a call that led to the recovery and return by Caloocan City firemen of some P100,000 to the rightful owner in March last year.

Awarded as best responders are the Quezon City Police District-Novaliches Police Station 4 under Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag which busted the area’s biggest drug illegal distributor and the Caloocan City Fire Station under Chief Inspector Agapito Nacario for the recovery and return to owner of some P100,000 during a March, 2005 fire incident.

Other awardees are Mairene Pascual; Veronica Alejo; Juliet Yakit; Shiela Evacuado; PO1 Marissa Carlos; FO1 Rolando Sacendoncillo; and Rufino Baptista.

Runners up in the best caller awards are Police Chief Inspector Melvin Valcorza and Josefina Arroyo; while runners up in the best responders awards are the La Loma Police Station under Police Superintendent Allan Parreno for successfully foiling a robbery inside a Philippine Rabbit Bus in August 2005; Manila Fire Station under Superintendent Pablito Cordeta for responding to a fire incident that also led to the discovery of a clandestine shabu laboratory in Paco, Manila in July 2005; Las Piñas Police Station under Superintendent Perpetuo Sanson for the neutralization of a hostage taker in March 2005; Malaybalay City Fire Station under Senior Inspector Glennary Aclao for saving several lives and millions worth of properties during a fire in April 2005.

Special awardees are the Caloocan City Police Station 4 under Superintendent Mario Dapilloza for successfully saving a hostage in June 2006; Manila Police District under Superintendent Florencio Ortilla for the neutralization of a notorious gang leader in December 2005; and the Manila Fire Station under Cordeta for their quick response that saved a school building from being totally gutted in January 2005. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe