Republic of the OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY REGIONAL OFFICE III

DiosdadoMacapagal Regional Government Center Brgy. Maimpis, San Fernando City, Telefax-(045) 649-1008; Telephone (045) 649-1009; email [email protected]

REGIONAL OFFICE PROFILE

BRIEFER ON PDEA REGIONAL OFFICE III

The PDEA Regional Office III, or PDEA RO III, is among the Agency’s 18 regional office nationwide, which has primary operational control, supervision and jurisdiction in Central .

After the enactment of Republic Act No. 9165 in July 2002, the PDEA RO III office was housed at the PNP Annex Building in No. 7372, Clark Special Economic Zone, Clarkfield, Pampanga. In October 2003, the Region forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the PNP PRO 3 to relocate the PDEA RO III in the office space formerly occupied by the defunct PNP PRO 3 Narcotics Group at Camp Captain Julian Olivas in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Since then, the PDEA RO3 office is located in Camp Olivas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

In 2008, plantilla positions were created for PDEA, in which 11 organic personnel holding different positions reported at PDEA RO III. Drug Enforcement Officers (DEOs) were also assigned in this Regional Office to cater to the demands of anti-drug problem.

In 2009, the PDEA RO III initiated the request for NEDA RO 3 to assign an office lot for the Office at the Regional Government Center in Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga. In 2013, the Office constructed the PDEA RO III Regional Forensic Laboratory.

In February 2014, the PDEA RO III was assigned with a 500 sq.m. lot in Regional Government Center in Barangay Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga. After the acquisition of the office space, GOVERNOR LILIA “NANAY” G. PINEDA funded the construction of a two-story building for the PDEA RO III. The construction of the new PDEA RO III building at the Regional Government Center in Brgy. Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga formally started on May 26, 2015. After six (6) months of construction, the building was completed in November 2015 and was turned over to the PDEA RO III on December 21, 2015. The Office started transferring its equipment and facilities in the new building from December 22, 2016 to January 22, 2016 and became fully operational in the new building on January 25, 2016.

The Office received an allotment for the construction of detention facility in the new building, which will be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office III (DPWH RO III).

The United States government, through the US Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) has been extending support to anti-drug enforcement units of the PDEA through its Narcotics Enforcement Training Team (NETT) unit program. This support comes in the form of training, infrastructure and other logistical assistance. The PDEA RO III is one of the three (3) PDEA offices, which has been the recipient of the said program from 2015-2016.

In 2006 and 2014, PDEA RO III was hailed as the BEST REGIONAL OFFICE.

I. LEADERSHIP CHANGES

In July 2002, Police Superintendent SONNY YANGA DAVID, a detailed officer from the Philippine National Police (PNP), became the first acting Regional Director of PDEA RO III. In July 2003, Police Superintendent JEROME S BAXINELLA replaced Police Superintendent SONNY DAVID as the Acting Regional Director. He initiated the forging of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the former Regional Director of Police Regional Office- 3 (PRO3) for the relocation of PDEA RO III in the office formerly occupied by the PNP Narcotics Group (PNP Narcom) in Camp Captain Julian Olivas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

In 2007, Police Chief Inspector EMERSON M MANIBO replaced Police Superintendent BAXINELLA as regional director. In the same year, Police Superintendent JOSE CARLITO APOLONIO E RAYCO replaced Police Chief Inspector MANIBO. In 2009, Police Superintendent DIONISIO B BARTOLOME JR. replaced Police Superintendent JOSE CARLITO APOLONIO E RAYCO as Regional Director.

After the conclusion of the detail order of police officers with the Agency, organic PDEA officers assumed leadership of its offices in 2010. DIRECTOR RONALD ALLAN DG RICARDO became the first organic PDEA officer to lead the PDEA RO III as Regional Director; DIRECTOR ROYBEL M SANCHEZ; DIRECTOR LYNDON P ASPACIO; DIRECTOR CARLOS L FLORES, JR; DIRECTOR ADRIAN G. ALVARIÑO, DIRECTOR JEOFFREY C TACIO, DIRECTOR GLADYS F. ROSALES, the first lady PDEA officer to head the Region and DIRECTOR EMERSON L. MARGATE.

DIRECTOR JUVENAL BLANQUERA AZURIN is the incumbent Regional Director.

II. CHAIN OF COMMAND

The Regional Office is headed by a Regional Director with the rank of Director III, assisted by an Assistant Regional Director with the rank of Director II. Pursuant to the DBM approved Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern (OSSP); the Office is conferred with 83 positions for its organic personnel.

Further, the Office employs 9 project-based employees as Case Monitors that liaise with Courts in the area.

It is also composed of two (2) divisions: the Administrative Division (AD) and the Plans and Operations Division (POD) that are headed by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chief, POD, respectively. The POD has four (4) sections: Intelligence and Investigation Section (IIS), Regional Laboratory, Regional Tactical Operations Center (RTOC); Custodial and Detention Facility (CDF).

Further, the Office has three (3) Special Enforcement Teams (SET) and an interdiction unit at the Clark International Airport, along with other enforcers from member-law enforcement agencies to form the Clark International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (CIA-IADITG). This task group under the supervision of the Regional Director as Task Group Commander and assisted by the Assistant Regional Director as Assistant Group Commander.

III. PDEA RO III LOGO

To fully adapt and re-align its ideals to this Agency’s mission and vision, PDEA Regional Office III launched its Office Logo on April 25, 2014 in Morong, .

The logo’s components are:

A. CIRCLE: Stands for Unity and Eternity. It mirrors the eternal dedication of PDEA RO III’s in fulfilling what we are all called for as emphasized in our mission and vision.

B. NINE RAYS: Stands for seven provinces: , Bataan, , , Pampanga, and ; and two key cities: Angeles and , in .

C. MAP: Regional identity.

D. Colors RED, BLUE AND YELLOW: Symbolizes that the goal for a drug - free nation is seen as a national concern, amidst being in the regional level.

E. SWORD: “to wound or to cut”. A high prestige of a weapon that primarily used for cutting and thrusting. An emblem of military honor. A just and generous pursuit of honor and virtue. Symbolic of liberty and strength.

F. OWL: mostly solitary and nocturnal bird of prey: hunting strategy depends on stealth and surprise. Exemplified by good adaptation

behavior making them invisible under certain conditions and making flight practically silent. They swivel their head to visualize their surroundings. Owl’s heads are capable of swiveling through an angle of approximately 270 degrees, easily enabling them to see behind them without relocating the torso. This ability keeps bodily movement at a minimum and thus reduces the amount of sound the owl makes as it waits for its prey and its asymmetrical ear placement on the skull allows it to pinpoint its prey’s location.

They are seen as symbol of wisdom, art and scholarship. In the olden times, they are believed to be harbingers of death and associated with destruction.

The owl is a symbol of status and intelligence. It is believed that the owl is often a guide to and through the underworld, a creature of keen sight in darkness. Like an owl, this Office is a right guide to many lives, silent but swift hunter to the drug personalities as we are guided by wisdom and honor.

IV. OPERATIONAL JURISDICTION

Region III, or geographically referred to as “Central Luzon”, is located north of , and is bounded by neighboring regions of Ilocos, Cordillera Administrative Region and Valley regions to the north; National Capital Region and to the south; and of waters of to the south; West Philippine Sea (formerly ) to the west; and the Philippine Sea to the east.

Central Luzon has the largest bordering lowland in the Philippine Archipelago, with 18,230 square meters land area, or 7.1 percent of the total land area of the country.

It is composed of seven provinces, namely: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales; and 13 cities, which include: Balanga in Bataan; , and in Bulacan; , , Science City of Muñoz, and San Jose in Nueva Ecija; Angeles and San Fernando in Pampanga; in Tarlac; and Olongapo in Zambales. There are 20 congressional districts, 117 municipalities and 3,102 barangays. The City of San Fernando, Pampanga is the regional center of Central Luzon while the cities of Angeles and Olongapo are the region’s highly urbanized cities.

Region 3 is vulnerable to illegal drugs trade for the following reasons: 1. Its location is considered by the experts as very ideal in the establishment of clandestine laboratories and warehouses as well as in the distribution and administration of dangerous drugs. Complementing the so-called strategic location in the existence of commercial, business and industrial establishment and flashy subdivisions where drug activities could discreetly be conducted;

2. The long shorelines and high seas of Bataan, Zambales and Aurora provinces are very susceptible to possible big time drug shipside smuggling operations and;

3. The existence of airports and seaports in the Region is also another moving factor as international drug syndicates could use these facilities as their major transshipment points.

4. It also includes three (3) Special Economic Zones, the Bataan Export Processing Zone, Clark Special Economic Zone and the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

V. FUNCTIONAL STATEMENTS OF OFFICES, DIVISIONS AND SECTION IN PDEA RO III

The Regional Office is primarily responsible for the implementation of the Agency’s policies, programs and projects in Central Luzon, conduct anti- drug operations; neutralize drug personalities; file criminal complaints against arrested persons; conduct casing and surveillance operations; information campaign; monitor all activities of drug personalities listed in the watch list within the Region; report progress to the National Office; and monitor the status of drug cases.

1. Office of the Regional Director - Responsible for the general administration and management of the PDEA Regional Office III. Direct and control the utilization of the Office’s resources for the accomplishment of its mission in accordance with RA 9165. Further, it is also responsible for the legal works of the Office and the dissemination/publication of operational accomplishments.

2. Administrative Division – Assists the Regional Director in the general supervision of the various administrative functions of the Office.

3. Plans and Operations Division – Assists the Regional Director in the general supervision of the various operational functions of the Office. This Division directs, controls, coordinates and supervises PDEA operations and integrates support activities. In charge of the general supervision of the following sections:

a. Intelligence and Investigation Section - formulate strategies and programs to support the PDEA intelligence efforts on drug law enforcement and effective management of all drug investigation activities.

b. Regional Laboratory - Provide specific method of examination of dangerous drugs, precursors and essential chemicals through examination of evidence; give expert opinion in court.

c. Regional Tactical Operations Center – Serves as the central nerve of the Office maintaining 24-hour telephone, electronic message, website and hotlines; coordinate with PDEA offices nationwide for expeditious dissemination of information. d. Custodial Section – Serves the detention and security facility of the Office, where arrested personalities are temporarily confined while awaiting the Commitment Orders from Courts. e. Special Enforcement Team - Serves as the operating unit of the Office, which primarily dismantles drug groups/syndicates, illegal drug facilities (i.e. clandestine laboratories, chemical warehouses, drug dens), and neutralize drug personalities.