28 years ago he was Pasil’s COP: Ifugao police colonel returns to serve Kalinga

FEATURE

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Nearly three decades after he first served Kalinga as a young police officer, an Ifugao-born colonel has returned to lead the province’s police force, bringing with him years of experience and a renewed commitment to keeping its communities safe.

For PCol. Peter Ngabit Jr., his appointment as Officer-in-Charge of the Kalinga Police Provincial Office (KPPO) on October 9 is more than a new leadership assignment. It is a return to a province where his police career once took shape.

Ngabit first came to Kalinga in 1995, when he was assigned to the Regional Mobile Force Company in Talaca, Agbannawag. Three years later, fresh from the Philippine National Police Academy, he was appointed chief of police of Pasil.

Those early assignments brought him closer to the communities he would later be tasked to protect on a much larger scale.

Now, 28 years after he first served as Pasil’s police chief, Ngabit returns to Kalinga not as a young officer beginning his career, but as the head of the province’s police force. He succeeds his classmate, PCol. Gilbert Fati-ig, who has retired from the service.

His return comes with a clear message: maintaining peace and order requires not only police visibility and discipline, but also the cooperation of the communities and government institutions they serve.

Safety begins with presence

In his inaugural speech, Ngabit directed police personnel across Kalinga to sustain foot and mobile patrols, maintain regular checkpoints, and strengthen police visibility to deter crime and ensure public safety.

He also emphasized security consciousness among office chiefs and ordered the observance of sentinel duty from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Under the arrangement, some personnel must remain on guard at police stations while others on duty stay available to assist people seeking police help, particularly during nighttime hours.

For Ngabit, police service must remain accessible even when most communities are asleep. The presence of alert and responsive officers, he stressed, is part of ensuring that residents can turn to the police when they need assistance.

Peace requires a united effort

Beyond police operations, Ngabit called for continuing support from the provincial and municipal governments, barangays, national government agencies, communities, and other stakeholders.

He underscored the importance of a whole-of-government approach in addressing criminality, resolving conflicts, and building safer communities.

His appeal reflects the broader responsibility of maintaining peace in a province where cooperation among law enforcement, local leaders, and residents remains important in responding to security concerns.

Ngabit said his goal is to help ensure that Kalinga remains a safe place where people can live, raise their children, and earn a living.

A covenant with his personnel

As he begins his new assignment, Ngabit also pledged to work alongside the men and women of the KPPO, emphasizing that leadership must be matched by dedication and shared responsibility.

“Let us serve our people with dedication, care, compassion, and trustworthiness. Lastly, my only covenant is that I will work hand in hand with you,” he said.

He urged his personnel to align their work with the flagship project of the regional director and to remain committed to serving the public.

From his early days in Talaca and his stint as Pasil police chief to his return as provincial police commander, Ngabit’s journey has brought him back to familiar ground with greater responsibilities.

This time, he is tasked with leading the entire provincial police force—and turning his pledge of partnership, discipline, and public service into a shared commitment to the safety of the iKalingas.