MANILA - The Philippine National Police recognized 2 "hero cops" during the flag raising ceremony at the police headquarters on Monday.

PO2 Mel Bautista of the Gulod Police Community Precinct in Manila was conferred the Medalya ng Kagalingan, while PO1 Gester Versoza of the MPD Station 7 intelligence unit received the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting.

LOOK: PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa confers Medalya ng Kagalingan to PO2 Mel Bautista, Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting to PO1 Gester Versoza during flag raising ceremony at Camp Crame @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/FDTzTKEjgG

— Bianca Dava (@biancadava) March 4, 2018

Bautista ran after a notorious criminal upon witnessing an ongoing robbery in Tondo despite being off-duty. The police officer was riding a motorcycle with his wife and child when he spotted the crime.

After seeing the robber enter an alley, Bautista left his family on the motorcycle and went on to chase the suspect. He caught up with the suspect and arrested him.

"Kailangan namin laging umaksyon. Ang sa amin lang, gagawin namin ang aming trabaho," Bautista said during the conferment at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

"Nagpapasalamat ako sa officers na binigyan kami ng award. Hindi namin inakala na mabibigyan kami ng ganito," he added.

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Versoza, on the other hand, was attacked and repeatedly stabbed in the chest while he was on his way home on board his motorcycle in Sampaloc.

The attack prompted the policeman to draw his firearm and fire at the man identified as Reynaldo Lee Jr., who later died at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital.

"Nagpapasalamat ako na buhay pa ako," Versoza said after receiving the award.

He added: "Kailangan ko lang protektahan ang sarili ko para sa pamilya ko."

PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa personally conferred the awards to Bautista and Verzosa, saying the 2 serve as an inspiration to their fellow police officers.

"These two gentlemen epitomize the finest tradition of service, honor and justice in the PNP. The awards and honors they received manifest the recognition of the PNP of their exemplary performance of duty," Dela Rosa said.

The recognition comes against the backdrop of recent developments, where the PNP has dismissed 398 personnel and meted penalties to 1,216 other errant personnel for various offenses.