MAJOR General Edgar Alan O. Okubo, a “tough” police official known for having a “heart for the poor’ on Friday took over as the new National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director in Metro Manila.

A member of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Tagapagpatupad” Class of 1992, the erstwhile director of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) took over from Major Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Tanglaw-Diwa” Class of 1992 who was promoted as PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, the 3rd “highest rank” in the 227,000-strong police force.

Retiring on November 25, 2024, Maj. Gen. Estomo’s new position catapulted him as one of the main contenders for the top PNP, which will be vacated by PNP chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. this coming April 24 in the event the Palace will not reconsider his extension.

Azurin has been ordered by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. to lead the “5-Man Committee” evaluating the 955 3rd-level officers in the organization who tendered their courtesy resignations before Marcos last January following an appeal from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos Jr.

The committee was composed of Azurin, retired General-turned Baguio City Mayor Benjamin “Benjie” B. Magalong, retired General-turned Presidential Adviser on Police Affairs Undersecretary Isagani R. Nerez, former Defense Secretary Gilbert C. Teodoro, and retired Court of Appeals Justice Melchor Q. Sadang is set to meet this week to finalize the guidelines to be used in the assessment and evaluation process.

The committee has been given a 3-month deadline to finish its job and submit to the National Police Commission (Napolcom) its recommendations before the final list is sent to the Office of the President for final approval.

Himself a former PNP-SAF officer, Okubo assumed the top SAF position on August 4 last year and launched his own version of the “Revitalized-Pulis sa Barangay” or R-PSB program in the elite unit while at the same time leading the SAF’s successful campaign against terrorism and criminality, the SAF being the “main muscle” of the police force when it comes to conducting anti-terror and anti-crime raids and arrests.

One of the youngest PNPA Class 1992 members—he will be retiring on May 21, 2026–Okubo in 2017 was named as the Cebu Provincial Police Office (PPO) director and became known for his “strict” internal cleansing policy and “no-nonsense” drive against drugs and other forms of criminality.

He became the Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 Deputy Regional Director for Operations and later Deputy Regional Director for Administration in Southern Mindanao under then Brigadier Gen., now Lieutenant Gen. Filmore B. Escobal, the current Area Police Command-Eastern Mindanao commander.

As PRO 11 DRDO and DRDA, he supervised the massive implementation of the PRO 11’s R-PSB program, which aimed to bring real government service to the “poorest of the poor” specifically those living in so-called “Geographically Isolated and Advantageous Areas” (GIDAS) to win their hearts and minds.

The program has been hailed as a “landmark” success in Southern Mindanao when it comes to regaining the trust and confidence of the poor and the underprivileged in the government.

When he became the PNP-SAF director, Okubo implemented the same program, which saw battle-hardened SAF troopers going to far-flung barangays not to target terrorists and criminals but to listen to the grievances of the people.

Over the past six months, PNP-SAF commandos have partnered with different agencies and stakeholders to build small schools, farm-to-market roads, bridges and stairs, potable water systems, churches, and other worship areas, and even homes for the needy.

Under Okubo, the PNP-SAF has transformed into a unit with a real “heart for the poor” with commandos even teaching young kids living in far-flung areas basic English, Filipino, and Mathematics, aiding sick women and the elderly, transporting pregnant wives to the hospital, conducting free haircut, circumcision, and livelihood seminars and helping thousands of indigenous people get their certificate of birth registration.

The new NCRPO director said he will replicate the programs of Estomo and would see to it that the metropolitan police force will be much closer to the public and, as Estomo has been saying, a police force that can easily be “seen, felt and appreciated by the citizenry thru their extraordinary good deeds.”

On Thursday, the Journal Group reported a major reshuffle of key PNP posts, which saw becoming the PNP’s 3rd highest official. He replaced Lt. Gen. Benjamin D. Santos of PMA “Sambisig” Class of 1991, who was reassigned to the Office of the Chief PNP.

Okubo was replaced as PNP-SAF director by his classmate from PNPA Class 1992, Brigadier Gen. Rudolph B. Dimas, a former PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) director who became the PRO 5 director in Bicol region last August 4.

Brig. Gen. Westrimundo D. Obinque, the erstwhile PNP Deputy Director for Comptroller was named as the new PRO 5 director.

Obinque is another PMA Class 1992 member.

With his new position, Estomo, who headed the Metro Manila police force for six months, will be promoted to the rank of Police Lieutenant General while Dimas will get his 2nd-star as PNP-SAF commander.

The chief of PNP Directorial Staff, Lt. Gen. Michael John F. Dubria, and PNP Director for Personnel and Records Management, Maj. Gen. Robert T. Rodriguez issued the official orders for reassigning the five on orders of Azurin.