NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, Major General Vicente D. Danao Jr. on Monday praised a brave NCRPO member who was wounded in an encounter with armed drug traffickers in Taguig City last Friday.

The Metro Manila police chief pinned a Wounded Personnel Medal on Corporal Edwin Mago Jr. who was whisked to the site of the awarding ceremony in a wheelchair.

Danao cited the courage and bravery of Mago, a member of the Taguig City Police Sub-Station 6, in the performance of duty.

It turned out that at around 6 a.m. last Friday, Mago and his colleagues were conducting an anti-criminality patrol when they saw two men acting suspiciously inside the Mercado Compound in Hagonoy area.

Suddenly, one of the suspects drew a firearm and fired shots at the lawmen hitting Mago. Although wounded, the cop and his colleagues managed to return fire and arrest one of the suspects identified as John Espares.

The other suspect identified as Cyrus Garcia managed to escape and is still being hunted as of press time. Danao said that recovered from the possession of the arrested suspect were three heat-sealed plastic sachets containing two grams of shabu worth P13,600.

Mago was taken to the Medical Center Taguig for treatment after the encounter.

Southern Police District director, Brigadier Gen. Jimili L. Macaraeg said that the suspects are now facing charges for frustrated murder, direct assault and violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Danao also cited a number of NCRPO officers and men for their major contribution to the success of the Metro Manila police in reducing crimes in the streets, while making other big reforms in the force which remains in the forefront of enforcing government rules to help further reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the metropolis.

Cited for their meritorious service were NCRPO Deputy Regional Director for Administration and Regional Administrative Support to the COVID-19 Task Force commander, Brigadier Gen. Benjamin C. Casuga Jr. and NCRPO Deputy Regional Director for Operations, Brig. Gen. Jon A. Arnaldo for their noteworthy performance in overseeing and monitoring the administrative and operational aspects of the deployment of their personnel in Metro Manila.

The others who received plaques of recognition from Danao were Colonel Julius C. Suriben, the chief implementor of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in Metro Manila; Col. Luis Maria T. Pascual, the NCRPO operations chief for his role in the successful implementation of quarantine rules; and Major Ryan Jay E. Orapa, the chief of the NCRPO Regional Drug Enforcement Unit for his effective supervision of the unit tasked to lead the NCRPO’s war on drugs.

The NCRPO chief also recognized Majors Benjamin B. Calugtong Jr., Ana Lowrence E. Simbajo and Erol T. Alejo Jr. and Patrolwoman Paula A. Llantero for their role in the sound fiscal and financial management of NCRPO’s financial resources; Captain Moises Fernando M. Reyes for being able to recover 278 Philippine National Police-issued firearms to NCRPO personnel who have gone AWOL, dismissed or suspended from the force.

Danao also handed Special Unit Awards to the following NCRPO offices: the Regional Personnel and Records Management Division headed by Col. Wilson C. Asueta; the Regional Logistics and Research Development Division under Col. Dario M. Menor; the Regional Comptrollership Division headed by Col. Joel L. de Mesa; the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division under Col. Moises O. Villaceran Jr.; the Regional Learning and Doctrine Development Division under Col. Rex Arvin T. Malimban; the Regional Plans and Strategy Management Division headed by Col. Jessie B. Tamayao; the Regional Information Communication Technology Management Division under Col. Rolando M. Balasabas; the Regional Mobile Force Battalion headed by Col. Lambert A. Suerte; and the Regional Special Operations Group under Lieutenant Col. Melvin R. Montante.

Danao said that by effectively doing their respective jobs, the above-named units and officers have greatly contributed to the NCRPO’s program to provide all the best for the metropolitan police force, while launching a massive internal cleansing program and an all-out crackdown against criminality, drugs, terror and wanted personalities leading to a big reduction of criminality in Metro Manila.

He also challenged the awardees to continue their good deeds and noteworthy programs amid the new normal.