Will Querol stay long in Region 6?
Four turn-overs in ten months. Wow!
Since the now retired Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas vacated the top post in the region’s police force on June 25, Police Regional Office 6 now has its fifth regional director within just four months.
Chief Supt. Artemio Hicban succeeded Cuevas and stayed for ten days. He was then transferred to PRO4-B or MIMAROPA region.
Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao Jr. assumed the post from Hicban on July 6. He set two records with his “First in the Visayas, First in the Philippines,” the PNP-Media Protocol During Crisis Situation and the Commander’s Manual on Crisis Management. But he was here for only three months and eight days. He’s now in PRO4-A or CALABARZON region.
Senior Supt. Ernesto Tesoro Jr. took the helm after Pagdilao. His was the shortest stint, only four days. But the four days were crucial because PRO6 was then at the height of its preparation for the Annual General Inspection- Operational Readiness Security, Inspection, Test and Evaluation.
On Tuesday last week, PRO6 welcomed Chief Supt. Cipriano Querol Jr. He considers himself an “applicant” citizen of Iloilo. He even considers his new assignment as a homecoming. Querol has held various assignments in Western Visayas before his assumption as regional director. But the question is will he stay here long enough? Or will he only add to the growing list of “short lived” leadership at PRO6?
Western Visayas is one of the most peaceful regions in the country. But many can still be done to improve the peace and order here. I am hopeful that Querol, being (one) of the proponent(s) of Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team, can steer the region’s police force to ultimately win the whole Western Visayas community.
But will he stay long?
Law enforcement agencies anywhere in the world admit the indispensable role of the public in the prevention and solution of crime. Querol’s passion in establishing the BPAT could be the key in making Western Visayas a champion in community-oriented policing system.
But again, will he stay long?
Being a believer myself of community-oriented policing as the key to solve the peace and order puzzle, I could not help but consider Querol’s leadership as the strongest link to Western Visayas quest in making this part of the country more peaceful and orderly to live, work, invest in and do business.
I hope Querol will stay long – as the top cop of the region’s police force!*
