PNP chief Police Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. (left) installs Police Brig. Gen. Arnold Evangelista Abad as the new chief of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas. (Contributed photo)
CEBU CITY – The new chief of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7) was formally installed on Thursday, April 16.
Police Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police, led the turnover ceremony where Police Brig. Gen. Arnold Evangelista Abad replaced Police Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan.
Maranan is now the head of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in Cavite after serving the PRO-7 for one year and three months. Abad is a member of the PNPA Class of 1996.
Maranan said that during his stint, the PRO-7 was able to ensure a peaceful celebration of this year's Sinulog despite drawing a massive 15 million revelers.
He added that under his leadership, the PRO-7 was able to achieve a zero-crime incident during the May 2025 elections.
“Under my leadership, the Police Regional Office-7 sustained a generally favorable peace and order. We have reduced our eight focus crimes for almost 30 percent comparing 2024 to 2025, and we have achieved a 99.80 percent conviction rate on all our illegal drugs cases that had been filed for the year 2025,” said Maranan.
Maranan said it was also during his stint that the PRO-7 was able to effectively respond when the region was hit by twin calamities – an earthquake and a typhoon – last year.
He also said the PRO-7 was able to seize more than P1 billion in illegal drugs while he was at the helm.
Maranan added that while he was the PRO-7 chief, more than 1,000 anti-illegal drug operations were conducted and over 8,000 wanted persons were arrested.
He thanked PRO-7 personnel for supporting his anti-criminality campaign that led to the seizure of 4,010 loose firearms and 120 explosives and the dismantling of 19 gun-for-hire groups. Maranan urged police in the region to extend the same support to his predecessor.