Wounded Policemen Receives Medalya Ng Sugatang Magiting

Approved by the PNP Chief, Regional Directors from each PROs or Directors from the NSUs, the Medalya Ng Sugatang Magiting (PNP Wounded Personnel Medal) is only given to policemen who have been wounded in action against an enemy as a direct result of an act of the enemy provided such wounds necessitate treatment by a medical officer. For this purpose, a “Wound” is defined as an injury to any part of the body from an outside force, element or agent sustained as a result of a hostile act of the enemy.

The injured PO1 Jay Catacutan and PO1 Roy Ceniza, both assigned at Cebu City Police Mobile Patrol Group (MPG) received the Medalya Ng Sugatang Magiting (PNP Wounded Personnel Medal) on September 6, 2011, for their immediate response and bravery in fighting armed men who held up a bank teller in a shopping mall along Fuente Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City and shot two of his security escorts identified as Leofer Itac and Lito Odac of the Puritan Security Agency who were assigned to delivered an amount of money to China Banking Corporation on September 5, 2011 at around 9:00 o’clock in the morning.

The medals were pinned by PCSUPT Ager P Ontog Jr., PRO7 Regional Director at the Chong Hua Hospital where they are still recovering from gunshot wounds.

PCSUPT Ontog commended the two for offering their lives in exchange for the greater good of the public. He said getting injured is not something you wish to happen. By their heroic act, the Regional Director added that the medals will become a source of pride for PO1 Catacutan and PO1 Ceniza because only a selected group of policemen have been given this kind of award.

The two awardees revealed that it was their first major encounter with a high-profile robbery group.