COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 14 Aug) – Not everything coming from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is bad news, especially when talking about its police force.
For the very first time in the history of the ARMM police force, one of its officers was named by the Metrobank Foundation as one of Country’s Outstanding Police Officers in Service (COPS) for this year.
Senior Supt Rodelio Jocson, Maguindanao provincial police director, was one of those chosen in the Police Commissioned Officers category.
Jocson, however, was not able to attend the awarding last Monday (Aug. 11) as he left for Thailand on the same day to attend a counter-terrorism training.
“I’m just working silently, and I’m humbled to receive that award. Surely it will inspire me to do better,” he told MindaNews.
Jocson was previously awarded for his drive against human trafficking and for his law enforcement campaign.
The police officer grabbed the limelight in March last year, when he injured his ankle as he and his men engaged supporters of Dainga Ampatuan, one of the suspects in the Maguindanao Massacre, in the municipality of Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao as they were serving the arrest warrant.
Ampatuan was killed in that firefight.
Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, regional director of the Police Regional Office in the ARMM (PRO-ARMM), extended his compliments to Jocson for the latter’s strong leadership, in-depth knowledge and contributions to the maintenance of peace and order in his area. “His commitment, hard work and strong advocacy have made a real positive impact on the entire PNP organization,” Delos Reyes said.
Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu also extended his greetings to Jocson.
Metrobank Foundation’s yearly award, in coordination with the Rotary Club of New Manila East (RCNME) and PSBank, seeks to identify heroic men and women in the police force who are able to gain the support of the community to prevent and solve crimes in their .
The 10 winners of this year’s COPS were chosen from 154 nominees from all over the country.
Three other Mindanao-based policemen were among the awardees – Chief Insp. Reynald E. Ariño of Zamboanga City, PO2 Ashear U. Ismael also of Zamboanga City, and PO3 Alexander B. Fazon Jr. of the Caraga Region.