ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The new director of Police Region Office-9 called on the 8,000 officers under his command to follow Philippine National Police standards and obey regulations.
Police Brig. Gen. Jesus Cambay Jr.'s leadership of PRO-9 is his first assignment in Mindanao and his first time to head a regional police office.
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Cambay, a native of Lagawe, Ifugao and a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Makatao” Class of 1989, replaced Brig. Gen. Froilan Quidilla, who retires on July 3, in a turnover ceremony this week.
Cambay, in a virtual presser, reiterated the thrust of Police Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, PNP chief, to cleanse the ranks of the national police and to provide proper supervision of police officers as they perform their duties.
The thrust is complemented by an assurance that officers will get proper pay and benefits.
"Since we give (the police officers) what they deserve, we expect them to uphold the utmost discipline standard. We will be hard on violators of PNP rules and regulations. We will be fast in awarding and we should be fast in giving disciplinary action," Cambay said.
Cambay was previously director of the PNP Intelligence Group and has served as Deputy Regional Director for Administration and Deputy Director for Operations of Police Regional Office-6 in the Western Visayas.
He said he will be closely monitoring how unit commanders use disciplinary authority on their police personnel.
Cambay has directed the Regional Internal Affairs Service to audit all unit commanders who exercise their disciplinary authorities.
The new PRO-9 commander said there will be no reshuffle of commanders in the region and Quidilla's campaign against lawless groups and illegal drugs operating in the region will continue.