Noble bids farewell to CPPO

CEBU, Philippines — Starting today, the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) will be working under a new director as Police Senior Superintendent Eric Noble is set to depart for his new post as police attaché in San Francisco, California in the United States.

Police Senior Superintendent Edgar Alan Okubo, Chief of Regional Public Safety Battalion 1, will replace Noble as CPPO Director.

Okubo was part of PNP Class 1992 and is also the former director of Pangasinan Provincial Police Office (PPPO) in Region 1.

Noble has been the provincial director of Cebu since he was officially appointed last October 3, 2016.

Earlier in April, Noble was offered the police attaché post overseas and is set to fly to San Francisco to serve the San Francisco Consul General, after several months of completing his documents as diplomat.

In a phone interview with The FREEMAN, Noble said that serving Cebu for a year has been a challenge for him as Cebu was declared by President Rodrigo Duterte as a drug hot spot.

He said that one of his biggest achievements as CPPO director was that out of 1,066 barangays in the entire province, 116 was declared drug-free in just a year of anti-illegal drug operations.

In his administration, countless of search warrants were also issued against politicians and other government officials, including former Medellin Mayor Ricky Ramirez.

“Tuloy-tuloy lang we are on the right track,” Noble said when asked for comment on how the CPPO should go on in the fight against drugs.

Noble was also the creator of Police Random Act of Kindness program where all CPPO police are required to list at least three act of kindness per day to promote goodness not just in the station, but also in the community.

Noble expressed gratitude to all the Cebuanos who helped the police in their efforts against drugs.

“Ang mga accomplishment naman namin ay hindi namin magagawa kung wala ang ating mga kababayan. Kung walang partnership, kung walang ginawa ang mga police magcooperate hindi natin magagawa ang lahat ng iyon,” said Noble.

Noble said that he is confident about leaving the Cebu province to the new CPPO director.

“Magaling din na siya na police (Okubo). Napili ni Chief Dela Rosa ang tamang opisyal,” said Noble in the phone interview.

Same with Noble, Okubo was also an awardee of Metrobank Outstanding Cops in 2013.

Noble said that the first thing that he will miss about Cebu was the pure heart that the Cebuanos have and the food.

“Masarap ang pagkain sa Cebu, tumaba ako at saka ang mga tourist spots ang gaganda,” he said.

Noble is set to fly to San Francisco mid-October.

Meanwhile, CPPO Spokesperson Police Superintendent Virgilio Bayon-on, said that Noble was one of the best directors that Cebu province ever had.

Bayon-on also assures the new designated director, that all the CPPO personnel will support him the same way they supported Noble.

“Ug unsa'y pagsuporta sa former director, ipadayon ang suporta sa incoming provincial director," said Bayon-on. (FREEMAN)