PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa received on Wednesday, February 14, the highest award from the Indonesian National Police (INP) for his contribution to the security of both the Indonesia and the Philippines.

Dela Rosa received the Bintang Bhayangkara Utama or Medal of Honor in a grand conferment ceremony at the Auditorium of Police Academy in Jakarta.

"To the very famous and popular General Bato: thank you for your rockstar-like inspiration to the Indonesian national police and the Indonesian people on how to fight the war on drugs. This is the first time that the Indonesian government granted the highest award the state can give, the Medal of Honor, the Bintang bahayang Kara utama (the ultimate protector of the state and the people), to a non-Indonesian official," said Indonesia Police General Tito Karnavia.

The PNP and Indonesian National Police are both pioneer members of the Asean Association of Police Chiefs (ASEANAPOL), which shares bilateral understanding and commitments on specific areas of cooperation in joint maritime border patrol, anti-terrorism, anti-piracy, anti-smuggling, transnational crime, illegal drugs and trafficking in persons.

Aside from Dela Rosa, other recipients of the same award were the minister for Home Affairs of Singapore, the commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, the commissioner of Royal Brunei Police Force, the inspector general of Royal Malaysia Police, the commissioner of Singapore Police and the director of Internal Security Department of Singapore. (SunStar Philippines)