Aklanon policeman is COPS awardee

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

There is no good that goes unrewarded.

A policeman assigned in Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) is among the admirable awardees of this year’s Country’s Outstanding Policemen in Service (COPS).

COPS is a joint undertaking between the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. and the Rotary Club of New Manila East in partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and PSBank.

Police Officer 3 Michael Dalisay Pontoy, 37, from Antipolo, Ibajay, Aklan, is leading the outstanding policemen for non-commissioned officers’ category.

Pontoy’s unselfish and untiring efforts, professionalism and devotion to duty earned him a sterling police career worthy of emulation.

To date, he has nine government eligibilities, countless awards and citations from the PNP and the admiration of his peers. The feat also earned him the outstanding criminologist award of the Professional Criminologists Association of the Philippines in 2013. 

“My vision of government service goes beyond my personal desires. I valued sacrifice not just for myself but for my family as well,” said Pontoy, who is married to Julie from Buruanga, Aklan.

Pontoy's family is presently staying in Malay, Aklan since his wife is a Kinder volunteer teacher in Dumlog-Kabulihan Primary School of the District of Malay.

Pontoy is an epitome of rare breed of policemen who rise out of poverty to send his siblings to school. 

He spent his high school education at Ondoy National High School in Ibajay, Aklan. The outstanding cop also went to school with Northwestern Visayan Colleges, Garcia College of Technology and Aklan Catholic College in Kalibo, Aklan. 

Presently, he is assigned in the Awards and Decorations of APPO. He entered the police service in 2003.

This year, six non-commissioned officers and four commissioned officers out of 154 nominees nationwide are the best and the brightest in the Philippine National Police (PNP) for their involvement in the community to solve and solve crime.

The candidates for the Non-Commissioned Officers' category are policemen with the rank of Police Officer 1 to Senior Police Officer 4 while those in the Commissioned Officers' category are those with the rank of Inspector to Senior Superintendent.

The 10 awardees will be officially presented on August 11 at Camp Crame during the flag raising ceremony before PNP chief Alan La Madrid Purisima.

Each awardee will receive P400,000 in cash and a medallion during the conferment of awards of the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. on September 5. They will be feted by President Benigno S. Aquino III and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

The final board of judges were Senator Grace Poe; Fr. Francis Lucas, chief executive officer and president of Catholic Media Network; Balanga City (Bataan) mayor Jose Garcia III; Eduardo Sahagun, president and chief executive officer of Holcim Philippines; 3rd District of Manila Representative Maria Zenaida Angping; Atty. Alex Lacson, chairman of Kabayanihan Foundation and Grace Padaca, former Commissioner of the Commission on Elections.

The candidates for COPS were judged based on their accomplishments in crime solution and prevention with community involvement, awards and recommendations from the PNP, the impact of the project or crime resolved and recognition from the community.