Police Regional Office 11

THE HISTORY OF DAVAO SUR POLICE PROVINCIAL OFFICE

            The  name DAVAO was derived from a Bagobo word “DABA-DABA” which means “SACRED BRASS”. It was said that the brass belonged to a legendary Bagobo chieftain “DATU DULI” who lie at the foot of Sandawa mountain, now the infamous Mt. Apo. Later, the letter “O” was affixed to the word which means justice among Bagobo tribes for fairness was dispensed by their chieftain. As years went by, the name “DABA-DABA”  was shortened to DABA-O. Long usage of the word it clipped it to “ DABAO”, now the name of the province.

            The command is located in the southern part of the Philippines. It is bound of the east of Davao Gulf; in the west by the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato; on the north by Davao City, and in the south by the Celebes Sea. The area of responsibility of Davao Sur Police Provincial Office covers 14 municipalities, 1 component city, and 337 barangays with a total land area of 4,166.3 kms and a total population of 838,314 inhabitants as of the year 2004.

            The province of Davao del Sur was created on May 8, 1967, pursuant to RA 4867 dated May 7, 1967. It started functioning as an independent province on July 1, 1967. Prior to this period, Davao del Sur was still a part of Davao City as pertains to military and police forces. There was only one (1)  existing territorial line unit then in the province, the 434^th PC Company located at Malalag, Davao del Sur, as well as the local police stations in the municipalities. Right after the abolition of the IV PC Zone in 1978, Region XI PC/INP Command was created and Davao del Sur was one of its provincial commands. On May 24, 1980, Davao City and Davao del Sur PC/INP Command  was separated pursuant to GO NR 69 HQS RECOM XI and activated the Davao del Sur PC/INP Command effective June 1, 1980, under the Command of LT COL ROGELIO N AREVALO (GSC), the first Provincial Commander/ Police Superintendent, with headquarters at Digos, Davao del Sur. It had one (1) line company, the 434^th PC Company, stationed at Malalag, Davao del Sur. Then the 434^th PC Company was organized/activated pursuant to GO NR 30 para 1 dated 13 March 1987, RHQ RECOM XI, as an additional territorial line unit of the command. Said company’s station was co-located at the provincial headquarters in Digos, Davao del Sur. On 18 December 1989, the DAVAO SUR PC/INP COMMAND was transferred from its temporary headquarters in Digos, Davao del Sur to its permanent provincial headquarters located at San Agustin, Digos, Davao del Sur. The permanent camp is five (5) kilometers away from the poblacion of Digos taking the road bound to North Cotabato. The 435^th PC Company as the service company of the command was also transferred together with the command thru the efforts of LT COL JESUS R MAGNO (GSC) PC, the Provincial Commander.

            The PC/INP bowed out of service to give way to its advent successor-the Philippine National Police. The PNP is a new organization created by mandate of the New Constitution. But it came into being by virtue of RA 6975 otherwise known as the PNP Law effective 02 January 1991 under the reorganized Department of the Interior and Local Government.

            Effective 01 July 1994, pursuant to GHQ Letter Directives dated 22 June 1994, re: Reorganization of PNP Provincial/City Command and lower units, the following units/stations that comprise the Davao del Sur Provincial Police Command was renamed:

            From the inception of the command on 01 June 1980 up to the present, the command garnered the following regional AWARDS: Adjudged three (3) times as Provincial Command of the Year. In 1981, during the incumbency of LT COL ROGELIO N AREVALO (GSC) PC; in 1989, during the incumbency of LT COL JESUS R MAGNO (GSC) PC; and in 1992, during the incumbency of PSUPT FILIPINO O AMOGUIS (GSC) PNP. The DSPPO also bagged the award as Cleanest Camp of the Year (1993) in the whole region.

            The command also received awards for two (2) NGO’s who held in the maintenance of peace and order in the province, namely: the NAKASAKA (Naghiusang Katawhan Alang Sa Kalinaw) founded by LT COL JESUS R MAGNO (GSC) in 1987. When PSUPT FILIPINO O AMOGUIS (GSC) PNP assumed post as Provincial Director in 1991, he organized another NGO, the CACC (Citizens Anti-Crime Council) in 1992, an unarmed organization espousing a God centered ideology who helps the police and military in maintaining peace and order in the province of Davao del Sur. The CACC was awarded as “Most Outstanding NGO of the Year” in 1993 during the 3^rd PNP Anniversary at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

           PSUPT SAMUEL TABORADA NAVAJA (DSC) took over the DSPPO leadership on 18 January 2002. DAVAO SUR PPO was adjudged as Best PPO for two (2) consecutive years 2002 and 2003. Further, during the 2007 PNP day celebration, DSPPO was again adjudged as Best PPO 2006 under PSSUPT ANSELMO SIMEON PATRON PINILI, PESE (DSC).

           Below is the list of Provincial Commander/Provincial Directors assigned at Davao Sur Police Provincial Office since its creation to present:

LT COL ROGELIO N AREVALO (GSC) PC                             01 Jun 80      –    31 Mar 82

COL LAUDEMER D KAHULUGAN (GSC) PC                        01 Apr 82       –    18 Dec 84

LT COL SALVADOR D DAANG PC                                          05 Nov 85      –    25 Mar 86

MAJ FRANCO M CALIDA PC                                                    25 Mar 86      –    14 July 86

LT COL JESUS R MAGNO (GSC) PC                                      14 July 86      –    16 Sep 90

LT COL DOUGLAS O ROSETE (GSC) PC                              16 Sep 90      –    04 Feb 91

LT COL ROBERTO L CALINISAN (GSC) PC                          04 Feb 91      –    18 Dec 91

P/SUPT FILIPINO O AMOGUIS (GSC) PNP                            18 Dec 91      –    21 Dec 93

P/SR SUPT CELIS J NANI (GSC) PNP                                    21 Dec 93      –    25 July 94

P/SUPT JOSELITO D POMPERADA (DSC) PNP                  25 July 94      –    03 May 95

P/SUPT ROGELIO B DELADA SR PNP                                  01 Jun 96      –    05 Aug 96

P/SR SUPT JOEL S MANALILI (GSC) PNP                            05 Aug 96      –    19 Aug 96

P/SUPT VIRGILIO C HUMOL (DSC) PNP                               19 Aug 96      –    03 Sep 98

P/SUPT NORMAN V LOBINO PNP                                          03 Sep 98      –    02 Dec 98

PSUPT WILFREDO C FUENTES (DSC) PNP                        02 Dec 98      –    22 Dec 00

PSUPT GUILLERMO C LARA (DSC) PNP                              22 Dec 00      –    18 Jan 02

PSSUPT SAMUEL T NAVAJA (DSC) PNP                             18 Jan 02      –    20 Apr 04

PSSUPT JEORGE M AQUISAP (DSC) PNP                          07 Mar 05      –    13 May 05

PSUPT ERNESTO M VELASCO PNP                                     13 May 05      –    14 June 05

PSSUPT BINANG A HADJIRIL (DSC) PNP                            14 June 05    –    16 May 06

PSSUPT ANSELMO SIMEON P PINILI, PESE (DSC)          16 May 06      –    30 June 07

PSSUPT SAMUEL T NAVAJA (DSC) PNP                             30 June 07    –    24 Feb 08

PSSUPT ELEUTERIO S QUILISADIO II (DSC)                      24 Feb 08      –    29 Mar 08

PSSUPT CESARIO A DARANTINAO, JR (DSC)                   29 Mar 08      –    07 Jul 09

PSSUPT RONALD M DELA ROSA, CEO VI (OIC)                07 Jul 09        -     To Date