BACOLOD City – Fifteen personnel of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office received the Medal of Merit from the Philippine National Police for their successful border control and checkpoint operations which led to the arrest of eight suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Escalante City, Negros Occidental.
The recipients were Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis; Major Gil John Despi; Chief Master Sergeant (Sgt.) Esperidion Canillo Jr.; Master Sgt. Jester Minguez; staff sergeants John Candelario and Romel Aguilar; corporals Eric Ignacio, Nelson Marino Jr., Ronilo Jabaybay, Ismael Mag-alasin Jr., Alberto de la Cruz Jr., Glend Mahinay, Demetrio Gruta Brillantes and Xander Barrios; and Patrolman Carl Mark Delfin.
Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, director of Police Regional Office-Western Visayas, with Colonel Romeo Baleros, police provincial director, bestowed the medals to the policemen during the “Pagkilala” awarding ceremony at the Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in this city on Monday.
“By this noteworthy achievement, above-named police officers have earned credit and honor not only for themselves but also for the entire police organization,” Pamuspusan said.
The policemen were assigned to the 3rd Platoon of the 1st Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company and the Escalante City police station.
Pamuspusan commended the recipients for their accomplishment during an operation in Barangay Jonob-Jonob on Sept. 18 which resulted to the recovery of assorted firearms and ammunition.
The eight suspects, who were found possessing firearms and improvised explosives, were allegedly part of the NPA’s Northern Negros Front – Komiteng Rehiyon Negros.
They were identified as Aiza Gamao, 32, an officer of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay)-Negros; Clint Mangayon, 20; Kenneth Serondo, 19; Joel Guillero, 40; Leon Charito, 60; Buenvinido Ducay, 55; Jonathan Alcosiva, 21; and a 17-year-old male minor.
Baleros said the eight were identified by former rebels as NPA members who were allegedly planning to disrupt the peace summit being in Escalante City that week.(With a report from PNA/PN)
