NUMBERS can show what a police force has accomplished. But only the people can say whether they feel safer and trust their police.
That is what makes PBGen. Mariano Rodriguez’s first 100 days as Regional Director of the Police Regional Office 2 worth watching.
Since assuming command on May 1, Rodriguez has pushed strong police operations across Cagayan Valley.
PRO2 reported the arrest of 764 wanted persons, including 156 Most Wanted Persons. Police also seized more than ₱84 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in anti-smuggling operations.
Operations against illegal drugs, loose firearms and other criminal activities have likewise continued.
But Rodriguez’s leadership is not about statistics alone.
He has built his approach around four simple words: Active, Accessible, Accountable and Accepted.
These are simple words, but they demand serious action.
Active means police officers must be visible and ready to respond. Accessible means they must listen to the people. Accountable means they must be responsible for their actions. Accepted means they must earn — not demand — the public’s trust.
This approach is important as Cagayan Valley moves forward after being declared insurgency-free and placed under a State of Stable Internal Peace and Security.
Rodriguez has also pushed preventive policing, stronger police visibility in schools and strict internal discipline.
He has warned against corruption and abuse of authority while stressing that complaints against police personnel must be properly investigated and given due process.
For me, this is the bigger story of his first 100 days.
The arrests and seizures prove that PRO2 can act. But public trust will determine whether that action truly matters.
When people trust their police, they become partners in keeping their communities safe.
Rodriguez’s first 100 days should therefore not be seen as a victory lap.
It should be viewed as a starting point — and a challenge to keep delivering.
