ZAMBOANGA City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar took her oath of office as the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) chairperson before President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang, affirming the latter’s commitment to peace and security.
The oath-taking ceremony was held Thursday, January 19, in Malacañang and attended by top national executives and the members of the National Peace and Order Council (NPOC).
The other appointed RPOC chairpersons in the country also took their oath of office on Thursday.
The RPOC is a sub-national council and serves to provide a forum for dialogue and deliberation of major issues and problems affecting peace and order including emergency, recommend measures which will improve or enhance peace and order and public safety in their respective areas of responsibility including anti-insurgency measures; and to initiate or oversee the convergence and orchestration of internal security operations efforts of civil authorities and agencies, military and police, among others.
Salazar was appointed by Duterte as RPOC chairperson for the Zamboanga Peninsula Region during the first week of January. Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula Director Billy Beltran was appointed vice chairman.
Salazar’s appointment was endorsed to the President by Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno in his capacity as NPOC chairman pursuant to the provisions of Executive Order No. 773 series of 2009. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)