13 CIDG men receive medals

Thirteen officials and enlisted men of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) were awarded medals yesterday for the arrest of a foreign national tagged in drug trafficking, gun running and human smuggling activities.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao awarded yesterday the prestigious Medalya ng Papuri to 13 personnel of the CIDG during the flag-raising ceremony at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Medal recipients were Superintendent Alejandro Gutierrez, supervising officer; Superintendent Napoleon Villegas, project officer; Superintendent Nelson Yabut, Chief Inspector Prudencio Enojo Jr., team leaders; SPO4 Eugenio Pedral and SPO1 Joselito Coronel; investigators; and team members SPO4 Alfredo Reyes Acson, SPO4 Joselito Coronel; and team members SPO4 Alfredo Reyes Acson; SPO2 Florentino Rosas, SPO2 Danilo Castro, SPO1 Jose Guirhem, PO2 Heirsel Montezon, PO2 Jaime Cadoy, PO2 Nimrod Balgemino and PO2 Gerardo Villaluz.

They were cited for the arrest of Chi Wong Hong, alias Sammy Chong, an alleged member of the Bamboo Gang international drug trafficking group.

Records showed Hong was arrested at the parking lot of a shopping mall in Mandaluyong City during an entrapment operation involving the sale of unlicensed firearms.

Police agents also seized four kilos of shabu worth P8 million. Also taken from the suspect was a 9mm Desert Storm pistol.

Police said Hong, tagged as an overstaying alien by the Bureau of Immigration, was also implicated in the selling of guns to Filipino-Chinese personalities.