Helping senior change tire earns praises: PNP to honor rookie cop

CEBU, Philippines - PO1 Mark Wilson Roa, who became an instant social media celebrity after a photo of him helping a senior citizen driver with a flat tire went viral online, is set to receive awards from his superiors.

Chief Inspector Enrique Belciña, Cebu City Police Office-Police Community Relations chief, said Senior Superintendent Noli Romana, CCPO director, is planning to give Roa a commendation after their flag ceremony on Monday.

Roa would also likely receive a medal from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7.

Belciña said Roa’s act of helping Orlando Enoveso, 75, change his tire is worthy of accolade.

He, however, expressed sadness over a Facebook user who said that Enoveso was the reason why snatchers were successful that day. The post argued that it was because Roa was kept from doing his job by changing Enoveso’s tire, which was a task of a towing company.

“We cannot please everybody,” Belciña said.

He added that Roa deserved to be emulated for doing a good job.

Lahug, Cebu City resident Winnie Arellanosaid the policeman used to be a traffic enforcer assigned in their barangay. She personally knew Roa as he used to work with her husband Eddie.

Belciña said that while they could only give Roa a commendation at their level, he received information that regional PNP headquarters officials would deliberate next week on giving Roa a medal.

“Kung unsa nga medal mahibaw-an ra unya na human sa ilang (We would know what media after their) deliberation,” he added.

Roa is on field training program with the outside Carmelite Monastery Mabolo Police Station.

The picture Enoveso took of the policeman changing his tire outside the Carmelite Monastery in Mabolo went viral after the senior citizen posted it online as a sign of gratitude to the police officer. —/RHM (FREEMAN)