Over a thousand police personnel in the Ilocos region take their oath after receiving their promotions during a ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 10. (Photo courtesy of PRO1 Public Information Office)
LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — More than a thousand police personnel in Ilocos region received their promotions during a ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) grandstand.
In a statement, Ilocos Regional Police Chief Brigadier General John Chua said at least 1,897 PRO1 police personnel and 166 employees of the regional support units took their oaths for being “promoted to the next higher rank.”
The newly promoted personnel included 250 Police Commissioned Officers (PCOs), and 1,813 Police Non-Commissioned Officers, who are assigned to regional headquarters, police provincial offices, and city and municipal police units, including personnel assigned with mobile forces.
At least 182 of the promoted PCOs took the rank of police captain, 15 police lieutenants, and nine police majors, according to PRO1.
Chua said the promotion was made to recognize the “sacrifices, accomplishments, and merit the personnel has displayed in the police service in the fight against criminality, lawlessness, and illegal drugs.
On Monday, the PRO1 said the Ilocos region continued to enjoy a “generally peaceful and orderly situation” in 2022, noting a 12-percent decrease in crime incidents, from 9,521 recorded crimes in 2021 to 8,347 in 2022.
The PRO1 said police operations related to illegal drugs led to the arrest of 1,050 drug suspects and confiscation of illegal drugs worth P10 million.
A total of 258 drug personalities also “voluntarily surrendered” through “Oplan Tokhang” and “Revitalized PNPKASIMBAYANAN” initiatives in 2022, it said.
The region also sustained its “gains” as the first area in the country declared to have “stable internal peace, security,” the PRO1 report said.
It added that 665 members of threat groups, including 33 CTG (communist-terrorist group) personalities, 556 CTG-front organizations, 38 former rebels, and 38 NPA (New People’s Army) members in the barrio, have either surrendered or been arrested.
Chua said their accomplishments were the “results of extensive coordination and partnership of PRO1 with other government agencies [and] with the cooperation and support of the entire community.” INQ
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