Search on for 10 Most Outstanding Policemen

Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director Gen. Reynaldo Velasco ordered yesterday the five police district directors and 37 station commanders to recommend a candidate each for this year’s Philippine Jaycees search for the 10 most outstanding policemen in the country.

"We have plenty of potentials for this project. We may have a small number of scalawags in our midst but I strongly believe that they are greatly outnumbered by the good ones," Velasco told a recent gathering of police officials and enlisted personnel.

Louie Basilio, chairman of the Jaycees national project said the candidates from all over the country have up to Nov. 30 to submit their list of accomplishments for the year 2002. He said a list of 15 judges from the academe, clergy, education, lawyers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will conduct a thorough screening of the applicants to determine the "cream of the crop" among policemen. Basilio said they are working out a P100,000 award, along with a plaque of recognition for the winners, set to be announced in March.

Velasco said past awardees of the Jaycees project have become generals, government officials, senators, representatives and mayors." The winners of this prestigious awards all over the country have become successful in their chosen field of endeavor right after they retired or left the service," Velasco said.

The five district directors will recommend an officer each while the 37 station commanders will choose who among his men had a "meritorious" achievement this year.

Basilio and Celie Madamba, the project president, said applicants will be screened in three phases by 15 judges to be named secretly.