If NIR is abolished; PRO-18 braces for its deactivation

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Police Regional Office-Region 18 is now preparing for its impending deactivation, should President Rodrigo Duterte will revoke an executive order issued by his predecessor, former president Benigno Aquino III, creating the Negros Island Region (NIR).

The PRO-18 was activated in November last year, following the creation of NIR. But despite its limited budget, this went fully operational since, according to its spokesperson, Chief Inspector Dianne Grace Catedral. “We can compete with other regional police offices,” she said.

Catedral also said the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) and the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) however are still getting their maintenance and operational expenses from the Police Regional-6 (Western Visayas)—where the province once belonged—while the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NORPPO) gets its support from the Police Regional Office-7 (Central Visayas), the previous region of the province.

On the other hand, the PRO-18 is getting its operational support from Camp Crame, Catedral said.

“Whatever happens, we, as members of the PNP, will continue to perform our mandated jobs, which is to serve and protect, the Filipino people, she said, although she is hoping that NIR will not be abolished, noting also that is easy to supervise police units in one island.

Besides, the Philippine National Police has already started constructing offices and police quarters of PRO-18 staff at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City.

Incidentally, the creation of NIR also paved the way for the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade to supervise the remaining military units in Negros island, following the redeployment of 302nd Infantry Brigade to Bohol.

Colonel Francisco Delfin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said that if NIR will be abolished, it has no effect at all to them. “We are national in scope, and not regionalized,” he said.

The activation of PRO-18 had became also a big factor in the maintenance of peace and order in Negros island, as all of its city and municipal police stations were provided each a vehicle, with the latest Mahinda Scorpio vehicles issued to staff of the regional and provincial offices.

Senior Superintendent William Señoron, director of NOCPPO, said NIR already got more than 1,000 additional new policemen.

Should NIR will be abolished, PRO-6 will reassume supervision of NOCPPO and BCPO, while PRO-7 will retake NORPPO. (FREEMAN)