Incoming PRO 6 chief sets out plans
Even before he officially takes the helm at the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6, incoming regional director Chief Supt. Geary Barias, more or less, already have an idea on what to do first as soon as he steps in.
In an interview, Barias said now is the time for pre-charge investigation of rogue cops. He said the time for issuance of warnings for police scalawag is already over.
Barias will officially assume post on August 2 in a turn-over ceremony at Camp Delgado. He will replace Chief Supt. Doroteo Reyes II who is retiring.
Before his appointment to PRO 6, Barias served as regional director of CARAGA (Region 13). He is not new in Western Visayas as he has served as provincial director of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office for two years.
During the time of Chief Supt. Jose Ayap, Barias was the chief of the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division of the PRO 6.
Other than running after the scalawags in uniform, Barias said he will fine tune all the policies of the command as soon as he hits the ground. He will first analyze the strength and weaknesses of the command in terms of campaign against criminalities, counter insurgency and all forms of criminalities.
In the campaign against insurgency, he prefers that it would be handled by the regional mobile group while the municipal police station will take care of the campaign against all forms of criminalities.
He vowed to also strengthen the Municipal Peace and Order Councils (MOCs) and Provincial Peace and Order Councils (POC). Barias said it is best that the policies on peace and order will come from the respective local government units. The policies and programs should also be in unison with the Philippine National Police.
He also added that it is also the local government which allocates the funds for the police. The funds and the policies should be approved by the MOCs or POCs. He said the MOCs and POCs are well familiar of their area.
Barias added that he will also reintroduce the basic police functions and roles which include the wearing of proper police uniforms. He will also continue the conduct of neuro-psychiatric test of policemen. The neuro test will depend on the recommendation of each field commander. The field commanders should be held responsible for the action of their personnel.
The name of the incoming police regional director was not originally included in the list of police officials to replace Reyes. The lists of contenders for the position were Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil and Chief Supt. Edgardo Doromal.
Bataoil is the present chief of the Northern Police District. He was formerly the chief of the regional operations and plans division of the PRO 6 and provincial director of Negros Occidental. On the other hand, Doromal is now with the Public Police Safety Office in Camp Crame and formerly the provincial director of Antique.