BIG GAINS. At least 62 New People’s Army rebels and 1,118 wanted persons were arrested during the conduct of intensified police operations from Nov. 2, 2022 to Feb. 3, 2023, marking the first 100 days of Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II as director of the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region. In the same period, 263 drug personalities were also arrested and nearly PHP4 million worth of illegal drugs were confiscated. (Photo courtesy of PRO-13)
BUTUAN CITY – Sixty-two New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and 1,118 wanted persons—206 of whom are classified as most wanted—were arrested during intensified police operations from Nov. 2, 2022 to Feb. 13 this year.
Data provided by the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13) on Tuesday indicated that aside from the arrest of 62 NPA insurgents, 148 other guerrillas also surrendered to the different police field units in the region.
“The period also marked the first 100 days in the office of PRO-13 Director Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II who assumed his post last Nov. 2,” said Maj. Jennifer Ometer,“ PRO-13 information office chief, in an interview.
In the same period, 319 firearms were also surrendered to the police while 34 others were confiscated in the intensified campaign against loose firearms.
The campaign against loose firearms, Ometer added, also resulted in the arrest of 27 individuals. Likewise, 263 drug personalities were arrested in 245 anti-drug operations during the period, resulting in the confiscation of 576.8 grams of shabu and 373 grams of dried marijuana.
The illegal drugs seized have a combined street value of nearly PHP3.9 million. In addition, police also collared at least 293 illicit gamblers, 55 illegal loggers, and 417 individuals involved in unlawful fishing.
In adherence to the peace and security framework MKK=K (Malasakit, Kaayusan, Kapayapaan, and Kaunlaran) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), PRO-13 also implemented the DADDI advocacy in the region.
DADDI stands for: Do observe cleanliness in camps and offices; Adherence to internal discipline; Drug war continues; Develop and strengthen police-community relations; and Intensified anti-criminality campaign.
To strengthen police-community relations, Ometer said at least 6,824 community outreach programs were initiated, benefiting some 7,091 residents in different areas.
“Peace and order indicator, which includes index and non-index crimes in Caraga, also dropped by 109 incidents or 8.11% from 1,343 incidents from Nov. 2, 2021 to Feb. 10, 2022, as compared to 1,234 incidents on Nov. 2, 2022 to Feb. 10, 2023,” the PRO-13 reported.
Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, PRO-13 director, said the accomplishments were the result of the “strong determination” of the police force in the Caraga region to curb criminality and lawlessness, in partnership with the communities and other stakeholders. (PNA)
