NPDO boasts of best crime lab unit

The Northern Police District Office-Crime Laboratory Office (NPDO-CLO), composed of medical and allied professionals in the police service, has won back-to-back awards in 2001 and 2002 as best crime lab unit among the five police districts in Metro Manila.

This was revealed yesterday at the blessing rites of its renovated office at the Caloocan City police headquarters on Samson Road.

Significantly, NPDO-CLO and Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) chief, Senior inspector Rio Gatacilo also ran away with the Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer of the Year in a nationwide selection made last year, in his two years with the unit. Gatacilo is also due for promotion to the next higher rank and is awaiting approval from the National Police Commission (Napolcom). Also awarded as Best Police Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year was SOCO investigator PO2 Sonny Boy Tepace. All three awards were also given during the 58th Anniversary of the PNP-Crime Laboratory Office at Camp Crame.

"If the law has made us a witness, we remain men of science. We have no victim to avenge nor guilty or innocent person to ruin or save. We bear witness within the limits of science," Gatacilo said paraphrasing the unit’s battlecry.

In a further show of trust and confidence in the integrity and efficency of the unit in the performance of its duties, SOCO medico-legal officer Senior Inspector Filemon Porciuncula, M.D., was also tasked to conduct the autopsy of some 23 drowning victims, passengers of the MV San Nicolas of the WG&A shipping group which sank off Corregidor Island early yesterday morning. Porciuncula said he was summoned by his superiors at around three in the morning yesterday and worked some nine hours on the bodies before rushing to the SOCO office for the blessing rites attended by Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo and PNP-Crime Laboratory Office head Chief Superintendent Restituto Mosqueda.

At the simple rites, Malonzo lauded the contribution of the unit in the early solution of crimes and to the general peace and order situation in the city. When called to respond at the crime scene, the crime lab office ensures the integrity of the evidence at the scene leading to the quick solution of the crime.

Malonzo, in his brief speech, also announced that he will be issuing an official commendation praising the unit even as an official ceremony will be held in their honor at flagraising rites next week at the city hall. – Jerry Botial