Central Luzon Holy Week 2026: PRO3 Reports Generally Peaceful Celebrations
Brigadier General Jess Mendez, director of Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3), proudly announced that the recently concluded Holy Week in Central Luzon was marked by a generally manageable peace and order situation. According to BG. Mendez, the celebration across the region maintained a stable security environment, with authorities successfully implementing comprehensive safety measures.
Incident Statistics and Security Deployment
In a detailed report from PRO3 covering the period from March 26 to April 5, approximately 140 incidents were recorded throughout Central Luzon. These included 67 vehicular accidents and 14 drowning incidents, highlighting the primary risks during the holiday period. To ensure public safety, PRO3 deployed police personnel to strategic areas across the region under the Ligtas SUMVAC 2026 operation.
This extensive security initiative involved around 13,000 personnel, comprising police forces, augmentation units, and force multipliers. BG. Mendez personally conducted inspections at bus terminals to monitor the situation during Holy Week, emphasizing the proactive approach taken by law enforcement. Authorities will remain deployed until May 31, as confirmed by the PRO3 director, to maintain ongoing vigilance.
Leadership Changes in Provincial and City Police
In a related development, several provincial and city police directors were recently reassigned by PRO3 under the leadership of BG. Jess Mendez. Colonel Ritchie Caravalla has been appointed as the new Nueva Ecija police director, replacing his previous role as Olongapo City police chief. Colonel Denieo Maniago has taken over the position vacated by Caravalla in Olongapo City.
Furthermore, Colonel Jay Baybayan is now the Bulacan Police Director, succeeding Colonel Angel Garcillano. Colonel Garcillano has been promoted to PRO3 Deputy Director for Operations, taking the place of Colonel Reynaldo Ogay. Colonel Ogay, in turn, has assumed the role of PRO3 Deputy Director for Administration, replacing Brigadier General Rommel Batangan, who now leads the Highway Patrol Group. These strategic appointments aim to strengthen law enforcement capabilities across Central Luzon.
