Torre defers deactivation of area police commands

MANILA, Philippines — Police officials and personnel assigned in five area police commands will remain in their posts as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III has deferred the deactivation of APCs to December.

The APCs in Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, Western Mindanao and Eastern Mindanao are supposed to cease operations on Monday.

Torre moved the deactivation to Dec. 16 based on the recommendations of the PNP Command Group.

The deactivation will affect over 180 police officers, including five three-star generals in charge of these APCs. It is part of efforts of the PNP to streamline the police force.

The postponement allows the APC in Western Mindanao to continue security preparations for the conduct of the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro region on Oct. 13.

Lt. Gen. Bernard Banac, chief of the APC-Western Mindanao, welcomed Torre’s decision and gave assurance that all regional, provincial and city mobile forces under his command are ready to secure the elections.

Banac is the concurrent chief of Task Force Bangsamoro, which supervises all law enforcement and public safety operations in the region.