CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – The Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) placed second among the Philippine National Police’s 18 Police Regional Offices in the Unit Performance Evaluation Rating (UPER) for May 2026, posting an 85.362-percent score and retaining its Very Satisfactory adjectival rating.

The latest rating marked a significant improvement from the region’s 81.841-percent score in April, allowing PRO3 to move up from third to second place nationwide, reflecting its intensified law enforcement operations and continued commitment to public safety in Central Luzon.

According to PRO3, the improved ranking was driven by strong performances in anti-illegal drugs, anti-criminality, anti-insurgency, loose firearms operations, and crime investigation.

In its campaign against illegal drugs, the regional office accounted for the arrest, surrender, delisting, or neutralization of 49 of the 51 High-Value Individuals (HVIs) and 603 of the 604 Street-Level Individuals (SLIs) identified during the evaluation period.

PRO3 also strengthened its campaign against wanted persons, leading to the arrest of 112 Most Wanted Persons (MWPs) from a backlog of 1,918 wanted individuals and 496 Other Wanted Persons (OWPs) against a monthly baseline of 841.

As part of the government’s anti-insurgency campaign, the regional police office also recorded the neutralization of two Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) members, including one with a warrant of arrest and another without a warrant.

Operations against loose firearms likewise resulted in the recovery of 533 firearms and the confiscation or recovery of 12 additional loose firearms, contributing to enhanced peace and security across the region.

PRO3 also reported strong investigative performance, clearing 19 of 24 murder cases, 112 of 114 theft cases, and 27 of 28 physical injury cases. It also achieved a 100-percent clearance rate for all recorded carnapping incidents involving motor vehicles during the period.

Police Brig. Gen. Jess B. Mendez, regional director of PRO3, credited the achievement to the dedication, professionalism, and teamwork of the region’s police personnel.

“This achievement reflects the hard work, discipline, and commitment of every member of Team PRO3 in delivering responsive and results-oriented police service to our communities. More importantly, it demonstrates our steadfast support to the PNP Focused Agenda, particularly in strengthening law enforcement operations, enhancing investigative capabilities, and fostering safer and more secure communities,” Mendez said.

He added that the recognition would further inspire the organization to sustain its gains in crime prevention, crime solution efficiency, and public safety initiatives.

“We remain committed to providing the people of Central Luzon with police service that is fast, honest, and felt by the community—true to our commitment of ‘Serbisyong Mabilis, Tapat, at Nararamdaman.’ Together, we will continue to pursue excellence, professionalism, and integrity in all our undertakings,” he said.

The accomplishment underscores PRO3’s continuing pursuit of operational excellence and organizational efficiency in support of the Philippine National Police’s mission of maintaining peace and order and ensuring public safety throughout Central Luzon. (Jason de Asis/PNA)