Anti-drug drive headlines Villaflor’s 9-month tenure as PRO-6 chief

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The fight against illegal drugs was the focal point of Brigadier General Sydney Villaflor’s 9-month stint as Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 director.

Villaflor, who was sworn in as the PRO-6 chief on May 24, 2023, was relieved on February 15, 2024, with a formal turnover ceremony scheduled today, February 19.

During his tenure, as outlined in his tour of duty report, PRO 6 conducted 1,630 anti-narcotics operations, which resulted in the arrest of 2,137 individuals.

These operations led to the seizure of 57.470 kilograms of shabu and 269.768 grams of marijuana, with a combined standard drug price of approximately P390 million.

Under Villaflor’s leadership, the PRO6 Drug Underground Shipment and Transport Network Disruption (DUST Bin) integration emerged as a key strategy in combatting illegal drugs, significantly boosting the efficacy of intervention efforts.

This approach has been adopted by the PNP organization and stands as one of PRO-6’s exemplary practices in its drug enforcement campaign.

Villaflor initiated the drafting of an RLECC (Regional Law Enforcement Coordination Committee) resolution advocating for the active participation of member agencies in interdicting illicit drugs at seaports and airports.

For Villaflor, the “Call to Action” RLECC Resolution represented a historic achievement for PRO6, distinguishing it as the first police regional office to introduce such a resolution nationwide.

He emphasized the vital role of RLECC-6 in coordinating and amplifying law enforcement within the region.

In addition to drug-related efforts, Villaflor reported a decrease in crime incidents.

Under his command, total crime incidents fell by 7.24 percent, from 17,586 cases to 16,312 this year. Index crimes, which include offenses against persons and property, decreased by 21.94 percent, with 509 fewer incidents than last year’s 2,320.

Conversely, non-index crimes, such as violations of special laws like RA 9165 and RA 10591, illegal gambling, and others, saw a marginal increase of 14 incidents or 0.22 percent.

Villaflor interpreted this as evidence of PRO-6 personnel’s dedication to their duties in combatting illegal activities.

In the campaign against wanted persons, PRO-6 personnel apprehended 857 most wanted individuals and 3,675 others.

The drive against illegal gambling resulted in 1,055 operations and the arrest of 3,224 individuals.

Additionally, 942 operations against loose firearms led to the arrest of 453 individuals and the recovery or surrender of 3,196 loose firearms.

PRO-6 also advanced in its campaign against illegal fishing, executing 556 operations, arresting 1,402 individuals, and confiscating P1,971,645 worth of fish and P96,859,400 worth of fishing gear.

Moreover, 103 operations against illegal logging resulted in 129 arrests.

Beyond anti-criminality efforts, Villaflor also emphasized initiatives aimed at police morale, welfare, and community relations.