Ex-cop among awardees on Charter Day

CEBU, Philippines - For his heroic act, a former police officer who now works as a tanod of Barangay Punta Princesa will be awarded during the 73rd Cebu City Charter Day anniversary on February 24.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña included tanod Rene Dela Cerna as one of the Mayor’s Awardees in this year’s Charter Day celebration.

He said the award will serve as a lesson to other barangay tanods that they have the task to respond to alarms even after their tour of duties.

Osmeña said Dela Cerna will receive P100,000 cash reward aside from a plaque.

Dela Cerna said that while he was sleeping at 2 a.m. last October 31, somebody awakened him and told him about a trouble near his house.

“Nahibaw-an nako nga dunay gang nga gikaaway ang mga batan-on nga taga barangay Punta Princesa. Miresponde ko sa kagubot apan ako man hinoon ang napusilan,” Dela Cerna said.

The bullet that hit Dela Cerna’s abdomen was not yet removed from his body because the doctors are still monitoring the development.

“Gipanid-an usa sa mga doktor kay basin og kun operahan dayon duna unya’y mga ugat nga maputol.”

Osmeña said former Miss Cebu Stephanie Hansen will be also given an award during the Charter Day celebration because he admired her for behaving well and maintain her coolness during a controversial issue involving the Globe Texter’s Choice Award of Miss Cebu.

The mayor said there were some persons, including members of the media, who criticized her for receiving the award even if she was not really won the contest. But Osmeña said, “Hansen acted like a real model and she lived up our expectation.”

Osmeña also said city treasurer Ofelia Oliva will be awarded for her aggressive collection of taxes. Oliva will receive P20,000 cash and a plaque.

From January 1 to 20, the city treasurer’s office, under the leadership of Oliva, has already collected P365 million of business taxes. — Rene U. Borromeo/LPM    (FREEMAN NEWS)