Zambo cops donate P500K to 'Yolanda' victims

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Police Regional Office (PRO) 9  in Western Mindanao has raised P500,000  after each cop under its command voluntarily donated P100 to help the victims of super typhoon Yolanda in Central Visayas, a senior police official said.

Chief Superintendent Juanito Vaño, PRO9 director, said  there are 5,896 uniformed personnel under his command, covering the entire Zamboanga peninsula. They still expect to collect around P89,600 more.

The command has turned over the initial P500,000 to Philippine National Police Chief Director General Alan Purisima through its police community relation office.

Those who donated included police personnel whose houses were also razed or damaged at the height of the siege last September by the members of the Nur Misuari faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), according to Vaño.

“Ang ating kapulisan dito sa PRO9 ay nakikiramay at handang tumulong sa libo-libong nasalanta ng bagyo sa Visayas.  Sa katunayan ang ibang pulis na nagbigay ng P100 ay nasunugan ng bahay noong nakaraang Zamboanga standoff with the MNLF,” according to Vaño.

“However, they did not hesitate to extend help to our fellowmen who were devastated by super typhoon Yolanda,” Vaño added.

He said the priority ebenficiary of the amount donated by the regional police command are PNP members who were themselves typhoon victims.