Building stronger relationship with public is top goal of new PNP Bicol chief

LEGAZPI CITY –– Police Brigadier General Bartolome Bustamante, the new Philippine National Police (PNP) Bicol chief, said on Friday that he would reinforce the “Kasurog Cops,” a police community program that would build stronger relationships with the communities in Bicol.

Bustamante assumed office as police regional director on Friday, taking the place of Police Brig. Gen. Anthony Alcañeses, who has reached his mandatory retirement.

In a ceremony at PNP’s Camp Simeon Ola, Bustamante assumed office on Friday.

Bustamante hails from Pangasinan and is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1989 “Makatao.”

Before his new position, he was Deputy Director for Police Community Relations (PCR).

Bustamante said that aside from the PNP’s nine-point program, he would step up the doctrine of Kasurog Cops, a “police-community policing system that builds and sustains relations towards peaceful and progressive communities.”

He said challenges are high, especially during the pandemic and the new normal, where the police template consisting of operation, investigation, and community relations would be an efficient and effective approach to address current issues.

He said under this system, “we have to come up with appropriate, timely intervention, and counter-action that would address all forms of threats to peace and order and security.”

“These are the core values that I would like to inculcate in our police force that in every action, there should be corresponding results because we have a community to look after,” he said.

LZB