GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/05 January) — The Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 is set to assign additional police personnel to various police units in the region in a bid to further build up their manpower strength and operational capabilities.
Chief Supt. Lester Camba, Region 12 police director, said Monday the move is part of their continuing efforts to improve the performance of local police offices and stations, especially in the maintenance of peace and order as well as addressing security-related concerns.
He said they will mainly deploy personnel who were hired last year under its regular recruitment program and attrition system.
The newly-hired non-commissioned officers, who hold the rank of Police Officer 1, recently completed their basic training and were temporarily assigned to the PRO-12’s Regional Public Safety Battalion.
He did not disclose the number of police personnel who will be covered by the fresh deployment, noting that it is still being finalized by the regional police’s R-1 or personnel unit.
“We’re targeting to start moving them to their new assignments by Jan. 15,” Camba said in a radio interview.
Also known as Soccsksargen, Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
The official said the deployment quota or allocation will depend on an area’s status and needs, especially in terms of security.
He said it will also be based on the number personnel who were hired from a particular area or locality.
“Areas or localities that produced minimal recruits will get minimal or lesser quotas,” he said.
Citing initial results of their assessment, Camba said North Cotabato, specifically its Provincial Public Safety Company, will get the biggest quota followed by South Cotabato province.
Last year, PRO-12 hired an additional 566 policemen based on a quota approved by the Philippine National Police (PNP) central office.
A total of 333 police non-commissioned officers were hired under the PNP’s regular recruitment program while the 233 were under its attrition system.
PRO-12 also hired 263 non-uniformed personnel for various police units as part of the PNP’s efforts to replace uniformed officers who are doing administrative jobs in different police stations and offices with civilian employees. (MindaNews)
