PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. has commended the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) in Bicol region headed by Brigadier Gen. Rudolph B. Dimas for a job well done in fighting drugs, criminality and insurgency in 2022.

The PRO5 scored big in its mandate to fully enforce the law in Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon last year earning it congratulations from the top cop.

The PRO5 made a major contribution to overall efforts of the PNP and the Marcos’ administration’s peace and security programs in 2022 amid difficult times brought about by pressing national security challenges that continue to plague the country amid the new normal brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The President has ordered Gen. Azurin to ensure that the PNP will perform its mandate of protecting the public 24 hours a day while ensuring that the rights of every Filipino will be observed at all times.

Thus, the 227,000-strong police force plays a huge role in addressing all threats to economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community and political security. By addressing all these threats, the country is well assured of transforming into an ‘agile and resilient nation’ under the Marcos presidency.

Last year saw the PRO5 scoring big in its campaign against illegal drugs, criminal gangs, wanted persons and illegal gambling, logging and fishing.

Under Brig. Gen. Dimas, a proud Igorot from Besao, Mountain Province, the 11,428-strong Bicol police force buckled to work as the member of PNP Academy ‘Tagapagpatupad’ Class of 1992 was named by Gen. Azurin to replace now Major Gen. Mario A. Reyes as PRO5 director.

Under the known nemesis of kidnappers in the country, the PRO5 last year launched a total of 963 anti-illegal drug operations in the region which led to the arrest of 1,028 ‘high-value and low-value individuals.’

The operations include the service of 79 search warrants for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, 741 buy-bust operations, service of 94 warrants of arrest for violation of RA 9165 and 49 other police operations.

As a result, a total of 765 ‘HVI’s or ‘high-value targets and 254 ‘LVIs’ or those engaged in street-level drug activities were hauled to jail by the Bicol police. A total of 1,361 charges for violation of RA 9165 were also filed against the jailed drug offenders, with Brig. Gen. Dimas instructing his men to ensure the prosecution to the hilt of the accused.

Brig. Gen. Dimas said the operations resulted in the seizure of nearly P97 million worth of shabu and marijuana. The biggest drug seizures were made by the Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon Police Provincial Offices and the Naga City Police Office.

From January 1 to December 31, 2022, the PRO7 also conducted 732 operations to account for loose firearms leading to the arrest of 332 suspects, the killing of 14 armed suspects in gunbattles with officers about to arrest them and the confiscation of 1,396 illegal firearms.

A total of 365 criminal cases for violation of RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 were filed against the arrested suspects.

The PRO5’s crackdown against organized crime gangs in the region last year saw its men conducting 55 operations which resulted in the arrest of 34 suspects, the surrender of 36 and the killing of four following shootouts with local policemen.

The Camarines Norte police force arrested 20 of the suspects while the Albay police apprehended four and engaged the four others who were killed in firefights.

On the same year, the Bicol police force also hauled to jail a total of 5,701 Wanted Persons amid its all-out effort to ensure that the suspects won’t be able to pounce on more targets anew.

The arrested suspects include 73 Regional Level Most Wanted Persons or MWPs, 68 Provincial Level MWPs, 152 City Level MWPs, 890 Municipal Level MWPs, and 4,518 Other Wanted Persons.

The Albay police jailed the most number of Regional Level MWPs with 23 followed by the Camarines Norte police with 17, the Masbate police with 13, the Camarines Sur police with 11; the Catanduanes police with five, and the Sorsogon police with three.

On the other hand, the Camarines Sur police force accounted for the biggest number of wanted men in the region with 1,018, followed by the Sorsogon police with 837, the Albay police with 778, the Camarines Norte police with 574, the Catanduanes police with 421, and the Naga City police with 142.

In the campaign against illegal gambling, the Bicol police conducted 604 operations which resulted in the arrest of 1,713 illegal gambling personalities, the recovery of nearly P533,000 in cash bets and the filing of 604 cases for illegal gambling.

The PRO5 likewise launched a total of 273 anti-illegal fishing operations in the region last year which led in the arrest of 631 persons and the confiscation of nearly 38.4 million worth of illegally-caught fish and various illegal fishing paraphernalia. The apprehended illegal fishermen are now the subject of 250 criminal cases.

Meanwhile, its operation against illegal logging last year resulted in the arrest of 278 persons and the recovery of nearly 1.4 million worth of illegally-cut lumber and flitches as a result of 278 operations. A total of 162 criminal charges were filed against the apprehended suspects.

Lastly, the PRO5 last year stepped up its campaign against the New People’s Army while going all-out to convince members and supporters of the armed communist group to surrender and join the mainstream of the society.

The Bicol police in 2022 arrested 171 rebel personalities, caused the surrender of 239 and conducted operations which resulted in the killing of 31 armed NPA guerrillas. The Masbate, Sorsogon and Albay police forces arrested 87, 34 and 20 NPA members respectively last year.

On the other hand, the Catanduanes police was able to convince 74 NPA members to surrender peacefully followed by the Sorsogon police with 73; the Albay police with 54; and the Camarines Sur police with 14.

Of the 31 NPA members who were killed in police operations in Bicol region last year, 12 were in Masbate, seven in Camarines Sur, six in Sorsogon, three in Albay, two in Catanduanes and one in Camarines Norte.

The PRO5 counter-insurgency operations in 2022 also led in the recovery of 174 assorted illegal guns, both high-powered and low-powered firearms and 202 explosives.

The PRO5 last year convinced 239 NPA members and supporters to yield and take their oath of allegiance to the government as it continued to fully support the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict by making former communist insurgents to be ‘participants in change.’

The huge accomplishments of the PRO5 came amid the commitment of Brig. Gen. Dimas to enhance police-community partnership in addressing criminality, drugs, insurgency, and corruption in the region thru his “ROD” program.

ROD, he said is short for R or R-eadiness in all aspects of policing, O is for O-pportunity for everyone to shine and D is for D-discipline.

Brig. Gen. Dimas previously commanded the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group where he successfully led his men in fighting kidnapping-for-ransom gangs and most wanted criminals for 16 months before he was installed by Gen. Azurin as Bicol police director.

Also a former Camarines Norte Police Provincial Office director in 2017, the official has called on his men to practice the “Client-centered police” simply because the community is the reason for their being.

“Treat them well, give them a sense of security that they so deserve. Treat them with respect,” he said.