• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Police Regional Office – Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) was formally activated on March 27, where PBrig. Gen. Jack Wanky was designated as the officer-in- charge, pending selection of a permanent regional director.
The activation of PRO-NIR at the Acacia Hotel Pavilion in Bacolod City, was presided over by Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Peace and Order Nestor Sanares, who represented DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla, and PLt. Gen. Robert Rodriguez, PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, representing PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.
The PRO-NIR is composed of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, Siquijor Police Provincial Office, and Bacolod City Police Office.
Following the activation of PRO-NIR, Sanares said they will also activate the regional offices of the Bureau of Fire and Protection, as well as Bureau of Jail Management Penology, soon.
The newly created Negros Island Region may also expect additional personnel for PNP, BFP, and BJMP, which are all under the supervision of the Department of Interior and Local Government, he added.
Sanares also said that Secretary Remulla will try his best to give a firetruck to each municipality of NIR.
By 2027, NIR police units will also receive patrol cars and motorcycles, he also announced.
With the start of the campaign period for local candidates, Sanares ordered PRO-NIR personnel to heighten their police visibility.
“Let’s see to it that everybody will be voting peacefully,” he said.
PLt. Gen. Rodriguez said that Wanky will still remain as regional police director for Western Visayas while performing his duty as officer-in-charge of PRO-NIR, pending the designation of a new regional director for the new Visayas region.
Assisting Wanky in the management of PRO-NIR are P/Col. Dennis Esguerra as OIC Deputy Regional Director for Administration; P/Col. Gilbert Gorero, OIC Chief of Regional Staff; and P/Col. Ronaldo Palomo as OIC Regional Operations Management Division.*
