New Ilocos region police chief assumes post

Brig. Gen. Westrimundo Obinque and Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Peralta during the turnover of leadership at the Police Regional Office 1 in San Fernando City, La Union. (Screen grab/PRO1 official Facebook page)

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—Brig. Gen. Westrimundo Obinque is the new chief of Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) following a turnover of command ceremony on Wednesday (March 2), at Camp Brig. Gen. Oscar Florendo in San Fernando City, La Union province.

He replaced Brig. Gen Emmanuel Peralta as the director of the police forces in the region that covers the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.

Obinque is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1992 and was previously assigned to the Office of the Chief Philippine National Police (PNP) before assuming his role as a regional director.

Peralta, who became regional director in the Ilocos in February last year, will be transferred to the PNP’s Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development.

The movement of Obinque and Peralta is part of the latest revamp in the organization that took effect on Tuesday.

Peralta, in his message during the ceremony, said that PRO1 had made “great strides” under his watch and that the organization was able to strengthen its community ties.

Obinque, for his part, reminded the police forces in the region to remain non-partisan amid the election season.

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