PALO, Leyte – It was a bittersweet farewell to the service as Police Major Gen. Arthur Cabalona, deputy commander for the Area Police Command-Visayas, returned to the Police Regional Office-8 (Eastern Visayas) for his retirement honors on Thursday, Oct. 19.

“It is with great sadness that I bid farewell to the life that I lived as an officer of the law and a public servant,” Cabalona said.
After 33 years in service and 15 years serving various operational and administrative positions in PRO-8, the native of Alangalang, Leyte expressed gratitude for the privilege of serving the country though far from what he initially intended after graduating cum laude in civil engineering and coming from a humble family of engineers.
Cabalona ranked eighth when he graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy Tagapagpatupad Class of 1992.
"It is either that the hard work paid off or the two stars were destined to be part of my journey. As I am ending my journey in the police service, I take this opportunity to acknowledge and recognize those who contributed to making the journey enjoyable, smoother, lighter, exciting, challenging, and inspiring," he said.
Upon graduation from the PNPA, he spent three years at the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-8, as executive and intelligence officer for a year and two years as commanding officer based in Hilongos, Leyte and later transferred to Mahaplag, Leyte.
During his stint, the RMFB-8 was responsible for the clearing of a guerilla base in Barangay San Antonio, Hilongos, which resulted to the surrender of more or less 400 NPA supporters in Hilongos and Mahaplag.
The clearing of the guerrilla base greatly improved the security situation and made great impact on the socio-economic development of Leyte.
Among the key positions he held in the PNP was regional director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in 2022.
He was also given higher responsibilities in the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame as chief of the Management Division, Directorate for Comptrollership, before his assignment at PRO-BAR.
He became the director of PNP Health Service in 2020 and in less than a month, he assumed as executive officer of the Directorate for Comptrollership, where he received his first star.