566 police neophytes hurdle counter-insurgency training

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Hundreds of neophyte police personnel graduated from their counter-insurgency training.

The completion of the 566 patrolmen and patrolwomen of the Basic Internal Security Operations Course (BISOC) is seen to give more teeth to the government’s internal security operations (ISO) campaign.

The closing ceremony was held Feb 8 at the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 grandstand in Camp Gen. Martin Teofilo Delgado in Iloilo City.

BISOC, a mandatory training for police officers, aims to equip the new breed of police officers with the necessary knowledge and skills on counter-insurgency operations, both on rural or urban terrain.

The training is designed to prepare every police officer on the basic mindset and instinct, indoctrination, discipline and character, individual and unit knowledge which they will apply in combat operations against insurgents.

Aside from equipping the new breed of cops with knowledge and skills, the training is seen to arm them with the right attitude and values that will make them more capable and qualified to be assigned in the mobile forces of the PNP whose primary function is to confront problems on internal security.

Majority of the BISOC graduates are males who accounted for 518 while 48 graduates are females.

Their training started October 2021 at the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company located at Camp Jalandoni in Barangay Zerrudo, Sara, Iloilo.

Brigadier General Flynn Dongbo, Western Visayas police chief, graced the BISOC graduation ceremony.

Dongbo reminded the neophyte police officers to perform professionally and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the organization once they are deployed to actual duties in the field.

“Congratulations to all of you for satisfactorily surpassing and finishing your rigid course. We train and prepare you for the battle you will be facing in the future. You’re training has ended, but this marks the start of another challenging journey as law enforcers,” he said.

As they will be deployed anywhere in the region, Dongbo said they are expected to perform different tasks such as anti-insurgency, public safety and special law enforcement operations. “With the high demand of our job, may you apply all the lessons you’ve learned from your trainings and use these in accordance to our mandate,” Dongbo said.