New PRO-7 director assumes office

CEBU, Philippines - The newly installed director of the Police Regional Office 7 said yesterday no major revamp will happen in Region 7 as he assumes office.

“As of now, there will be no major revamp in Region 7. We will try to re-asses,” said Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo Jr.

Yesterday, Garbo met with his men to discuss and assess the situation in the region, which will reportedly form basis of his future plans. Ten Senior Superintendents will reportedly join him at PRO-7.

“They are officers who have esteemed in operation, intelligence and police community relation. They want to be part of my team that’s why I’m bringing them in,” Garbo said.

He, however, clarified that despite their rank, these men will be assigned to lower positions so as not to jeopardize current police planning and operations.

Garbo said the 10 Senior Superintendents will help strengthen the image of the local police with efficient implementation of programs of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Garbo is a former executive officer of the Directorate for Operations at Camp Crame. He took over the post vacated by Chief Supt. Ager Ontog who was transferred to Camp Crame as requested by Police Director General Nicanor Bartolome.

Bartolome and Ontog graduated together from the Philippine Military Academy in 1980.

“He (Bartolome) has given me a second chance to serve the people of Central Visayas ... I take over the enormous responsibility of leading the country’s best police regional office in the service of country and people,” Garbo said in his assumption speech yesterday.

To achieve his goals for the region, Garbo has ordered PRO-7 Director for Operations Sr. Supt. Louie Oppus to lead the implementation of the PNP’s 10-point Action Program, which includes integrating police performance, audit, police supervision in the barangay, rights-based policing and aggressive serving of warrants and operations for wanted persons.

He also directed PRO-7 Director for Administration Chief Supt. Sammy Yordan to implement programs that would enhance the individual skills of PRO-7 personnel in various fields. Garbo said enhancing the different aspects of their operations such as procurement, logistics managements, among others will boost police moral further.

Garbo said his leadership style will be anchored on cooperation, collaboration and consultation with partners of the PNP and all stakeholders.

Furthermore, he said that the police should observe the 3-M rule in implementing its programs. The rule means the police must be visible (makita), must be heard and talked about (marinig at mapag-usapan), and must be felt (maramdaman) by the community.

Along this, he directed all provincial directors to assign policemen in areas where police visibility is needed the most.

Personally, Garbo said he would want to implement the so-called “Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS),” which is aimed at decreasing criminality. He said that PIPS, as a brainchild of the PNP, should be mastered by heart by every policeman.

Garbo said the PIPS program would be instrumental in strengthening the tourist police program in the region.

“Every nook and cranny of Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Oriental is practically a tourist destination. I want to see an active tourist police program in every Municipality Police Station, even those located in areas with little semblance of nay tourist activity,” he said. 

Present during the turn-over ceremony were Cebu Provincial Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, and representatives from various sectors.  (FREEMAN)