Outstanding police officers named

This is a press release from the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. 

MANILA, Philippines – The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI), together with the Rotary Club of New Manila East (RCNME) and PSBank officially announced the winners of the 2015 Search for the Country’s Outstanding Police Officers in Service (COPS) during a press conference held at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Main Conference Room last week.

The awardees from the Police Commissioned Officers category are: Police Senior Superintendent Marlo Sanchez Meneses, Police Senior Inspector Maricris Ybañez Mulat, Police Senior SUperintendent Camilo Pancratius Pascua Cascolan, and Police Senior Superintendent Valfrie Gacias Tabian. Meanwhile, the awardees for the Police Non-Commissioned Officers category are: Police Officer 2 Adolfo Campos Andrada, Senior Police Officer 4 Florante Baladad Ubina, Senior Police Officer 1 Aurora Joy Del Rosario Manuela, Senior Police Officer 3 Dino Soy-a Sagayo, Senior Police Officer 2 Dominador Mostacisa Canlas, and Police Officer 2 Mary Catherine Baril Demontaño.

“They are shining examples of selfless pursuit of duties and responsibilities and are dedicated public servants. They are ideal members of the country’s police force who serve as models to their peers and are pride of their institution, the Philippine National Police. It is our hope that through the COPS award, we can inspire a greater number of our police force to likewise aspire to the ideals of professional excellence, dignified service and exemplary leadership,” expressed MBFI president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña. “The ten commissioned and non-commissioned officers exemplify the best and brightest of our police force: of sound mind and keen reflexes, trained to withstand high-pressure situations, responsive to the concerns of the citizenry,” he continued.

The awardees were selected by a multi-sectoral final board of judges led by Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang; Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Leni Gerona-Robredo; and Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Lilia de Lima; together with University of the East President Dr. Ester Garcia; Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. President Angel Ngu; and Manila Cathedral Basilica Rector Rev. Monsignor Nestor Cerbo.

Best of the best 

The judging process included documents review by the preliminary board of judges and panel interviews were held facing the Final Board of Judges. Through the interview, their attitudes, accomplishments, awareness of current issues and responsible citizenship were evaluated.

The members of the preliminary board of judges were National Police Commission Commissioner Hon. Constancia P. de Guzman; PNP Press Corps President Jefrrey Escosio, Rotary International District 3780 District Governor Dulce DB Coyukiat; Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Hon. Ma. Victoria Cardona; Rotary International District 3780 Past District Secretary Atty. Pastor Mar Reyes, Jr.; Civil Service Commission Commissioner Hon. Robert S. Martinez; League of Municipalities of the Philippines Executive Director Marisa Y. Lerias; and Bombo Radyo Philippines Network News Director Elmar Acol.

“Over the years, the Search for COPS has evolved to be the premier award in recognizing the noble role and contribution of the PNP, initiated by the private sector. Underscoring community participation in preventing and solving crime, COPS boosts the PNP’s integrated transformation program which seeks to further professionalize the institution as well as projects a more positive image of the police,” said RCNME president Engr. Edgardo Cruz.

A total of 157 nominees were received this year. This year’s COPS awardees will be conferred with gold medallions, a trophy and a cash prize of Php 400,000 each. They will be presented together with the 2015 awardees of the SOT (Search for Outstanding Teachers) and TOPS (The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers), dubbed collectively as “Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos” in a formal awarding ceremony on September 3, 2015 as one of the highlights of Metrobank’s 53rd anniversary celebration.

Among the awardees this year is Police Senior Superintendent Marlo Sanchez Meneses, Provincial Director of the Albay Police Provincial Office. To maintain peace and order in the province, PSSupt. Meneses has strengthened the PRO’s police community relations program, creating a mascot named as SPO1 Albayano, to raise awareness about their various initiatives, such as maintaining peace and order in all the festivals of their province.

Now on its 13th year, COPS honors gallant men and women in the police force who are able to work with the community to prevent and solve crime. All previous COPS awardees are now members of the COPS alumni organization named “Policemen Responsible for Organizing, Training, Empowering Communities” or PROTECT. – Rappler.com