Police patrol cars are parked outside of the Mandaue City Police Office compound. | CDND File photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) brought home no just one but four special awards during the culmination of the 119th-anniversary celebration of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday, August 6.
MCPO was cited as the Best City Police Office in Central Visayas while it also had the Best City Mobile Force Company.
Police Colonel Jonathan Abella, the MCPO chief, was named Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Operations during the virtual recognition that was organized by the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) while office’s civilian personnel, Jose Tejano, was also cited as the Best Non-Uniformed Personnel.
Abella said he is very happy with their recent achievements which is a manifestation that MCPO operatives are doing their jobs well.
The Best City Police Office recognition was his favorite from among the four awards that they won because this is something that they can share with the entire city of Mandaue.
“Sa among achievement, tungod na sa tabang pud ni Mayor, mga barangay captains, nga dali ma sulbad ang atong mga problema diri sa Mandaue. Ang imporatnte man gud ang support sa community. Kung walay support sa community, di gyud nato ma achieve atoang accomplishments,” he told CDN Digital.
(Our achievement is a product of the support that we have been getting from the Mayor [Jonas Cortes] and the barangay captains because this helped us in the immediate resolution of the problems that we are faced with. Community support is also very important. In the absence of community support, we will never be able to achieve our accomplishments.)
Notable achievements
MCPO’s notable achievements include the immediate arrest of individuals who were behind a daring mall heist in October 2019.
READ: Suspects in J Centre Mall robbery failed to post bail, sent to Mandaue City Jail
Abella said that their efficient partnership with tanods from the city’s 27 barangays, especially in the relentless conduct of patrols, was very helpful in crime deterrence.
| Photo courtesy of Mandaue City PIO
READ: Mandaue cops continue patrols, to remind public to stay home
Struggles
But everything did not come easy.
Abella said they also had their share of struggles, the most recent of which was the coronavirus disease pandemic, which infected at least 25 of his men.
READ: MCPO has 25 remaining COVID-19 cases
Despite the reduction in their number, Abella said he had to dispatch his available manpower to roam the city to make sure that residents stay at home and to man border checkpoints.
Although exhausted, Abella said they still managed to continue to perform their respective tasks with the help of Mandauehanons who displayed their full support and cooperation with law enforcers.
“Our personnel were really exhausted but we were able to persevere because we were also being supported [by the citizenry]. We also received a lot of help,” said Abella.
Better days ahead
Although elated with the various awards that they won, Abella said, they will take these recognitions as a challenge to further improve the brand of service that they give to the Mandauehanons.
One of their top priorities is how to further improve their crime solution efficiency.
“We will do our best to do our function to serve and protect the Mandauehanons,” said Abella. / dcb