A NEW pool of lawyers have been deployed to Eastern Visayas to assist the provincial directors and chiefs of police "for an effective and efficient enforcement of laws in their area of responsibility."
"These additional legal officers will be of great help to us especially to our men involved in service-related cases," said Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos, director of Police Regional Office-Eastern Visayas.
The legal officers will act as counsels of police officials and personnel in all issues and problems that affect the administration and operation of the
police force, added Carlos.
The six new lawyers with their unit assignment are Major Anna Luisa Centino for Leyte Provincial Police Office, Captain Albert Azura for Eastern Samar Provincial Police Office, Captain Felicito Garcia Jr. for Biliran Provincial Police Office, Captain Ana Maria Gono for Southern Leyte Provincial Police Office, Captain Loreto Javier Jr. for Samar Provincial Police Office, and Captain Alexander Opeña for Northern Samar Provincial Police Office.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Ma. Bella Rentuaya, police regional spokesperson, said they are now institutionalizing the "Squad Concept" as part of their transformation program.
"The new program strengthens the preventive, restorative and punitive approaches that deter Philippine National Police personnel in the involvement of illegal and criminal activities which was already a long time concern of the organization," she said.
The "Squad Concept" is done by dividing personnel into teams that are composed of six to eight members with the supervision of a squad leader and mentored by a participating member of a religious sector or a life coach in cooperation with the Office of the Chaplain Service.
"This is to reinforce the reformation and reintegration of police officers so to instill a strong sense of commitment, dedication, and responsibility to police work through moral and spiritual interventions towards a God-fearing, family-based and service-oriented organization," said Rentuaya.
He said the "Squad Concept" would help identify, apprehend and punish those who were involved in illegal activities, particularly those "irredeemable and hopeless members of the organization."
"This is now more intimate, more personal and my high hopes with this squad concept is that we will finally be able to achieve a positive outcome for a highly reputable police force who represents love of God, country and people," added Carlos. (SunStar Philippines)