Another member of the Zamboanga City’s finest is among the winners of this year’s annual Search for the Country’s Outstanding Policemen in Service (C.O.P.S.), a joint undertaking of the Metrobank Foundation and the Rotary Club of Manila East.

PO3 Zoraida Masillam Aripin of the Zamboanga City Police Station 9 was among the almost 100 nominees who submitted documentary requirements and interviewed by a panel of judges composed of key personalities.

The Final Board of Judges co-chaired by now former Chair of the Commission on Human Rights and now Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo chose Aripin and five non-commissioned officers as well as four commissioned officers to compose this year’s awardees.Aripin will receive a trophy along with a P250,000-cash prize from no less than His Excellency, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III on August 31 in Malacañang.

An investigator at the ZCPS9-Women and Children Concern Section, Aripin boasts a string of arrests involving suspects in violation of laws against women and children in collaboration with members of the community.

C.O.P.S., a joint undertaking of the Metrobank Foundation, the Rotary Club of New Manila East, and PSBank in close coordination with the Philippine National Police, is an annual nationwide search which pays tribute to policemen who exemplified excellence in solving and preventing crimes in their community and integrity as members of the PNP.

The emphasis of the awards is on community policing, where the responsibility to maintain peace and order is shared between the police and the community.

A number of Zamboangueno policemen have been included in the list of outstanding policemen conducted by the Metrobank Foundation Inc in previous years. Among those in the list is SPO1 Anna Marie Anuary of the Tetuan Police who was awarded one of the 10 outstanding policemen for 2008 and SPO2 Alexander Mabalot, who was also conferred a similar award several years ago. (Claudine Uniana)