PEACEFUL HOLIDAYS. Brig. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr, director of the Police Regional Office in Northern Mindanao (PRO-10), extends his Yuletide greetings and wished the people of the region a peaceful celebration of the holidays on Friday (Dec. 24, 2021) in Cagayan de Oro City. The police official assured of the police’s utmost dedication to perform their duty in protecting communities during the period of celebration. (Screengrab via Acorda's FB page)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - The Police Regional Office in Northern Mindanao (PRO-10) on Friday sent its wishes to the public with a hope of a peaceful Yuletide season despite the global pandemic and the recent onslaught of Typhoon Odette.
Brig. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., the PRO-10 director, said in his video message on Facebook that the police force will continue to "give an utmost service, dedication, to the community despite the pandemic".
He also extended his well-wishes to those affected by Typhoon Odette, as some police units in the region were deployed to collect and distribute relief goods in Northern Mindanao and Caraga, both heavily affected by the weather disturbance.
Acorda said during a recent media forum that the PRO-10 is already on "Red Alert" since the start of this month.
However, he clarified that the color code does not necessarily mean an aggressive response against armed groups, but rather an alert level that requires heightened vigilance for the safety of civilians.
"(We impose) red alert almost every year just to maximize not only armed threats (against civilians) but also on gatherings like the 'Simbang Gabi' (dawn mass) and other activities with mass gatherings. We should be on our guard," he said.
Acorda also said the deployment of police units is on "full utilization," which requires "full attendance" of its personnel.
Responsible firearm use
Col. Aaron Mandia, director of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO), also said in an earlier interview he was confident all police personnel will abide by the rule against indiscriminate firing during this holiday season.
"It's about mind-setting, if possible they should not carry (the guns while not on duty)," he said.
In previous years, police firearms were ordered muzzled to avoid incidents of indiscriminate firing that may result in civilian injuries or deaths.
The police here urged the public to report such incidents of indiscriminate firing.
Meanwhile, the COCPO's police Stations 1, 3, and 5 were named as the three child-friendly stations by the local government here during the "Oro Kasanag Awards" on Thursday night.
The three stations were given the Two Stars Satisfactory Performance Award, with Station 1 receiving another two awards for Best Child-Friendly Space and Most Child-Friendly Initiative.
Police Station 5 also received a special award for Best Coronavirus Disease 2019 Response Unit.
Before the year ends, the COCPO also registered the highest crime solution efficiency (CSE) among all the cities and provinces in Northern Mindanao, according to the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division.
The COCPO registered a 61.68 percent CES rate from January to December 2021, with 301 of the 488 crimes solved, and 153 cases cleared. (PNA)
