Saturday, February 17, 2007 City's outstanding cop By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
THE moment he was appointed as Davao City's police director, Senior Superintendent Jaime Hermo Morente made a vow: Prevent, if not, eradicate killings in the city.
Sir Bong, as he is called by friends and associates, has been assigned in various areas in Mindanao since his graduation from the Philippine Military Academy in 1981.
"I am ordering my station commanders in each precinct to solve, at least, three percent of the pending cases a month," Morente told Sun.Star Davao, and that is in addition to solving new cases as they come.
By addressing both the pending and the cases to come, the 62 percent of the killings in the city last year that has remained unsolved will find solution.
Morente said he is urging policemen to work well in their every assignment since they are one of the highest paid government employees.
"Nakakahiya kung ganun ang mga naririnig natin (It's embarrassing to hear that). Pero (but), admittedly, in every organization may mga scalawags talaga (there crooks), so, the organization needs constant reminders and supervision," Morente said.
He said that any report that reaches his office on policemen who are into shady deals will immediately be investigated on and the concerned police personnel will face the necessary actions.
Born on June 13, 1959, Morente came from a family of soldiers. His father, a 1st Master Sergeant, served the police force in Cotabato City.
Morente is married to Felicidad, whom he described as very supportive of his chosen career. While his assignments have brought him all over the country, his wife would just gamely give him free rein to decide on whether to accept the assignment or not and then pack her things to visit here wherever that new assignment is.
They have three daughters and a son.
His performance shows a steady rise to key positions. As a police officer fresh from the academy, he was detailed at the now defunct 562th Police Constabulary Company in 1981-1983. He was also the executive officer of RSAC-11, Regional Command 11 in 1983-1984, and chief production branch of the Intelligence Unit of the Regional Command 11.
In 1986, he became the intelligence and operations officer of the Regional Special Action Force in Regional Command 11, the chief research and doctrine branch in the Operations Division in the Regional Command 11 in 1986-1987, and the Finance, Disbursing and Collecting Officer at the Regional Finance Service Unit, Philippine Constabulary/Integrated National Police Finance Center from 1987-1992.
Morente became the tactical officer at the Philippine National Police Training Command from 1992-1993, he was the Chief Finance Service Officer VII at the Finance Service Office in Regional Command VII from
1996-2001, and its Regional Operations Division chief in 2001-2002.
For three years, he was the police director of Compostela Valley, and then he was assigned as provincial director of Davao del Norte before moving on to head the DCPO.
Throughout his career, Sir Bong has received 21 military medals, eight military commendations, military civic action medal, Mindanao-Sulu campaign medal and Martial Law citation medal.
He is also a recipient of an AFP combat badge "Kagitingan", 28 various PNP medals -- Medalya ng Paglaban sa Manliligalig, Medalya ng Pagtulong sa Nasalanta, Medalya ng Paglilingkod sa Mindanao, Medalya ng Paglilingkod sa Visayas, Medalya ng Ugnayang Pampulisya.
He was also given letters of commendation and appreciation from government and civic organizations and was the senior officer of the year in the Fields of Operations in 2004.
Morente has also undergone several training and seminars in his years of service.
Can he deliver his promise? His background will show he has the capacity, but only time and the people's cooperation will tell.
