BOGO CHIEF PICKED AS TOYM AWARDEE

Supt. Byron F. Allatog, who graduated from a course at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was also featured in the Washington Post for his anti-illegal drug efforts

Supt. Byron Filog Allatog, the Bogo City police chief whose anti-illegal drug efforts caught the attention of a major American newspaper, was chosen as one of The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardees for 2017.

“The award means much to me and my wife. It showcases the sacrifices of being assigned to the different corners of the country,” he said.

Allatog had been named as one of the country’s outstanding police officers in 2014 by another award-giving body.

A member of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Class of 2001, Allatog said he intended to serve the public and keep them away from harm, including the menace of illegal drugs.

“The guiding philosophy I learned at PNPA: do your job well with integrity and tell it well,” said Allatog, who also graduated from a course at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Academy in Virginia last year.

The other TOYM 2017 honorees are Olympian Hidilyn Diaz (sports), Cirilo Javier (arts and music), Eu- genio Mende (veterinary medicine), Ronald Reyes (education), Jason Roy Sibug (community development), Mark Anthony Torres (government service education), and Chiara Anne Zambrano ( journalism and mass communication).

In an article in The Washington Post featuring Allatog, he said the FBI taught him to take no shortcuts, and to uphold due process and the rule of law.

The 40-year-old police officer believes the government can eradicate the illegal drug problem. Allatog’s mantra is “jail the pusher, save the user.”

In a Facebook post, he shared the experience of Rosario Acaac Comendador, 73, with her 44-year-old son who had been dependent on illegal drugs for the past 22 years.

Comendador’s son, Sulpicio, has been clean for five months, after joining a community-based rehabilitation program for drug dependents in Bogo City.

Last Dec. 22, Sulpicio was one of the 536 recovering addicts who received certificates of completion.

“Miracles happen. Let us give them a chance, let us help and support these people,” Allatog said. “There is hope for everybody.”