PRO8 number 2 man promoted to star-rank

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
August 1, 2013

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – The region’s second highest ranked police official was promoted as general after President Benigno S. Aquino III has approved the promotion to star ranks of Philippine National Police officials.

Police Chief Superintendent Edgar Orduña Basbas, the Deputy Regional Director for Administration (DRDA) of Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) was inducted to his new rank, equivalent to Brigadier General in the military, by PNP Chief Director General Alan LM. Purisima in a simple ceremony last week at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Basbas, who gained admiration and prominence as Commander of the Regional Special Operations Task Group - Samar (RSTOG-Samar) in the recently concluded midterm elections, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Matikas” Class 1983.

As RSTOG chief, Basbas is credited as one of those responsible in the peaceful and orderly conduct of the May national and local elections in the region.

The RSOTG-Samar was activated during the election period to initiate focused police operations targeting wanted persons, accounting of loose firearms and dismantling ‘private armed groups’ in Samar province, which was then considered as an election “priority area”.

Basbas was assigned to PRO8 in July 2, 2009 and headed the Regional Intelligence Division before being designated as Chief of the Regional Directorial Staff, Deputy Regional Director for Operation and currently as Deputy RD for Administration.

He was promoted upon the recommendation of PNP chief Purisima and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas who is also the concurrent chairman of the National Police Commission.

PRO8 director PCSupt. Elmer R. Soria exhorted the newly-promoted police general to assist him in ensuring the peace and order situation in Eastern Visayas and help attain genuine transformation in the PNP organization under the PNP Patrol Plan 2030 enhanced by the Chief, PNP’s CODE-P program.

The Peace and Order Agenda for Transformation and Upholding of the Rule-of-Law or Patrol Plan 2013 is the PNP’s roadmap in attaining a highly capable, effective and credible police service by year 2030.