Itawes top cop gets star rank

By Ramon Dacawi

CAMP DANGWA, Benguet -- Another cultural community member has risen to star rank with police Sr. Supt. Samuel Birung Diciano’s elevation to chief superintendent early last week.

The promotion comes a year after that of Chief Supt. Eugene Martin, a native of Bontoc, Mt. Province who is now the chief for intelligence at the PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame

Diciano, who speaks his native Itawes and Ibanag dialects, wore his new uniform Wednesday when he and regional police director, Chief Supt. Orlando Pestano witnessed assumption of Sr. Supt. Agripino Javier as director of the Baguio Police Office in rites at the office of mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr.

The mayor advised the new city director to adjust to his subordinate officers “instead of them adjusting to you”, saying they were responsible in making the city police office the best in the country for years. .

Pestano, on the other hand, noted that strict adherence to the constitutional provision on the supremacy of civilian authority over the military and police is the key to effective police leadership.

Javier, a native of Nueva Ecija and the intelligence officer for Region 1 before his assignment here, said it has been his dream to serve Baguio since after his graduation from the Philippine Military Academy.

“Hindi po kayo mapapahiya (I won’t let you down),” he said.

The mayor then turned to Diciano who, he said, started to shine, not because of his receding hairline, but when he began serving Baguio and the rest of the Cordillera.

The 51-year old Diciano first served Baguio as district commander of the 129 Company of the Philippine Constabulary based at the presidential mansion here.

He later became operations officer of the Benguet PNP Command, acting deputy regional director for operations of the Cordillera regional office and now its deputy for administration.

A native of Tuguegarao, Cagayan, he graduated 18th in Class ’80 of the Philippine Military Academy.

While already in the service, he figured prominently in career training, finishing second in Basic Scout Ranger Course, Civil Affairs Course in Fort Bragg , North Carolina and in the Public Safety Officers’ Senior Executive Course; and No. 2 in Psychological Operations Course also at Fort Bragg .

His 29 years in service so far earned him 154 medals, plaques and certificates of recognition, including the Academic Award from the National Police College.