Police Officer 1 Gerna Garcia was a rookie in her mother unit at the Pikit Police Station in Pikit, North Cotabato. But that did stop her from performing her police duty during the 10 May 2010 general elections in the Philippines despite a clear and present danger to her life.
Garcia belonged to the security team that protects the polling precinct in Talital village, including the precinct count optical scanner machine, other election paraphernalia and the voters present in that precint to cast their votes. At around 2:45 p.m., armed supporters of "four mayoral candidates" traded shots just few meters from where they were. Firefight broke at various directions. And at the height of the confusion, voters fled the area to save their lives. But Garcia, together with two Army soldiers in the security team, stayed to secure the area. She also made sure that the board of election inspector were safe as the fighting went.
The Central Mindanao police recognized her bravery and dedication to service with a Medal of Heroism.
SOURCE
Magbanua WA, Umel RV: "Woman cop gets medal for poll heroism" Philippine Daily Inquirer (01 June 2010) Link
