THE Metrobank Foundation, together with the Rotary Club of New Manila East and the PSBank, once again honors the best cops in the country, as it named this year's awardees of the Search for Country's Outstanding Police Officers in Service (Cops).
The awardees, who come from various regions throughout the country, consist of four commissioned officers and six non-commissioned officers.
The awardees from the commissioned officers category are Police Superintendent Edgar Alan Omas Okubo (Quezon City), Police Chief Inspector Carlo Magno Mercado Manuel (Manila), Police Senior Inspector Arlan Lim Delumpines (Zamboanga City), and Police Inspector Margienett Terano Yosores (Cebu).
"Being true to our social contract of promoting excellence in the police force and contribute in the transformation program of the Philippine National Police, we are proud to present to the entire nation the PNP's finest men and women," said Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña.
"Annually conferred to the best and most dedicated and champions of community mobilization in the PNP, this award is an expression of the civilian sector's appreciation of the police's commitment to maintaining peace and order in our country," he added.
Out of 153 nominations from all over the country, the highest in the 11-year history of the Search for Cops, 20 were short listed for the final judging and interview, and among them, 10 emerged as the 2013 country's outstanding police officers.
The awardees were selected by a multi-sectoral Preliminary and Final Board of Judges.
The Final Board of Judges who selected this year's outstanding cops was co-chaired by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Chairman Francisco Duque III of the Civil Service Commission.
Congressman Niel Tupas Jr. of the fifth district of Iloilo served as vice chairman with Bataan Province Governor Albert Garcia, Philippine Daily Inquirer President Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez, Lina Group of Companies Chairman Alberto Lina, and SGV Foundation Chairman and President Cirilo Noel.
Jose Manuel Mamauag of the Commission on Human Rights led the preliminary board of judges for the Police Commissioned Officers, along with Atty. Rudiger Falcis II, OIC/director of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Officers; Monsignor Joselito Asis, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines; Lilian de Leon, executive director of the League of Municipalities; Colonel Alejandro Escaño (Ret), president of the MFI Foundation; Dante Jimenez, president and founding chairman of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption; Alfred Dalizon of the Journal Group; and Jan Escosio, president of the PNP Press Corps Reporter.
The preliminary board of judges for the police non-commissioned officers are: Dr. Luisa Agamata, head of the CSC Honor Awards Secretariat of the Civil Service Commission; Atty. Anthony Nuyda, CESO II, Director IV/Head of the Internal Audit Service of the Department of Interior and Local Government; Jeffrey Tarayao, president of One Meralco Foundation; and Henry Omaga-Diaz of dzMM.
During the panel interview of this year's finalists, PSBank President Vicente R. Cuna Jr. said: "I think all of us need models because they give us something to aspire for. The Search for COPS made me feel hopeful, invigorated, energized and involved in something bigger than myself."
One of the awardees is SPO1 Abastar Figuracion II, who, aside from conducting successful police operations against drug syndicates and robbery hold-up groups, showed heroism beyond call of duty through the rescue and adoption of a baby girl who was a victim of a massacre in Zamboanga del Sur.
Another awardee is SPO1 Raquel Ramos Aniwasal, who is a true champion of women and children's rights. SPO1 Aniwasal has successfully rescued women and children who were victims of abuse, rape and exploitation as an officer of the Women and Child Protection Desk in Calabarzon.
The awardees will be feted together with the winners of the Search for Outstanding Teachers (SOT) and The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (Tops) dubbed as Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos on September 5, 2013 as one of the highlights of Metrobank's anniversary celebration.
Each winner will receive a cash prize of P300,000 and a specially-designed trophy from the Metrobank Foundation.
Now on its 11th year, Cops envisioned to further assist the PNP in professionalizing the institution. All previous Cops awardees are now members of the Cops alumni organization named "Policemen Responsible for Organizing, Training, Empowering Communities" or Protect. (PR)