PRO-3 director Brig. Gen. Valeriano T. De Leon at the Balitaan forum. Photo by Ashley Manabat
CLARK FREEPORT – Newly appointed Central Luzon police director Brig. Gen. Valeriano T. De Leon is all set to leave his mark as the region’s top cop.
De Leon, former chief of Police Regional Office 7 in Central Visayas and former head of the Firearms and Explosives Office, said his marching orders are to intensify the war on drugs and renewed campaign against insurgency.
During the Balitaan media forum organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc. in cooperation with the Clark Development Corp. at the Bale Balita here last Thursday, De Leon also explained that what he wants is “intelligence–driven information and results and not reactive” reaction.
De Leon described Central Luzon as a “very challenging” assignment that is why he said he tries to raise his monitoring activities.
He recalled that just recently, the Bureau of Customsconducted a “controlled delivery operations” in Cabanatuan City where a shipment was found to contain 240 packs of shabu worth P1.6 billion.
That means Nueva Ecija is a hub of illegal drugs that is why we have to work on this, he said.
De Leon said he recently went to Zambales where he personally swore in nine rebels to the republic who returned to the fold of the law.
De Leon also said he manages his personnel by empowering them.
“I try to empower my people. Bahala kayo sa buhay n’yo (Your life is totally up to you) because you will be answerable to me,” De Leon recalled telling his 12,476 men.
De Leon said he is not new in Central Luzon. He said he was the former provincial director of Nueva Ecija. He was also provincial chief of the Criminal Investigation Service in Bulacan where he was recognized as “Best Junior Officer” in the Philippines.
De Leon was also the former Pampanga provincial chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
De Leon’s stint as chief of the Regional Mobile Group got him the “Best RMG” award.
“I believe in two core competence of the PNP—operations and investigation,” he said. “These two things talk about prevention of crimes.”
As chief of the FEO, De Leon instituted reforms in the office which benefitted gun owners all over the country by making applications for License To Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) online.
“I made LTOPF application online for the benefit of gun owners even way before the pandemic,” De Leon said.
He explained that LTOPF online application has made it fair for every gun owner wherever he is in the Philippines to have his documents processed on the first priority basis.
“As soon as you complete and submit your requirements online, you will have the priority even if you are from the farthest region,” he assured.
Prior to his stint at PRO-7, De Leon was the longest-serving chief of the FEO.
Media shoot
“Marksmen and firing enthusiasts who were not able to see action for a long time due to the pandemic were given the chance to showcase their practical shooting skills in the 1st Invitational Media Fun Shoot and Police Regional Office 3 Marksmanship Test held on October 30,” a report said.
The half- day fun shoot set at the Camp Olivas Firing Rang was free of charge and open to all media practitioners and stakeholders of Metro Manila and Central Luzon as well as the NCRPO and PRO3 personnel.
De Leon also served as deputy regional director of Davao region and concurrent provincial director of Davao Occidental and later was assigned as, according to him, “caretaker of Inday Sara” as Davao City chief of police.
“I have completed my major island assignments,” he said.
De Leon said he was the longest–serving RMG director and national headquarters directorate for operations, directorate for protective management and NCR chief for intelligence.
De Leon said proudly that he is the youngest general in the country and was born and raised in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, which was recently devastated by Typhoon Ulysses.
De Leon’s elder brother, Major General Benito De Leon retired from the Philippine Army in 2016 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56. He is now with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
