A total of 49 police officers of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, mostly from Bohol, graduated from the 45-day Investigation Officers Basic Course (IOBC) which was held in the province.

Brigadier Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, PRO 7 director, and Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) director Col. Jonathan Cabal led the commencement exercises at the Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City on Wednesday afternoon.

A total of 34 chiefs of police and unit commanders of the BPPO graduated from the course, while the other graduates were from the Siquijor Provincial Police Office, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7, Regional Internal Affairs Service and Lapu-Lapu City Police Office.

A lone policeman from the Davao City Police Office also graduated from the course.

The IOBC Class 136-2019 started the course on October 30, 2019.

Ferro, in brief speech before the graduates, highlighted the importance of enhancing investigation skills in police officers.

The region’s top cop said that investigation skills are crucial in building cases that will prosper in court. He urged the graduates to utilize their newly acquired investigative techniques in solving cases and stamping out criminality.

“Investigation is a crucial factor in trying to stop criminality, terrorism and the likes. Kamo who finished this course, I hope that you’d be part of the PRO 7’s wings para maging successful,” Ferro said.

“Put your skills into use and help your stations achieve higher accomplishments. As investigators, you have the power to see through things and sift information which accelerate investigations and progress of cases,” he added.

The IOBC is the third step in the Philippine National Police’s “Ladderized Investigative Training Program” (LITP).

As stipulated in National Police Commission Memorandum Circular 2013-002, the LITP investigation courses are as follows: Criminal Investigation Course (CIC), Police Detective Course (PDC), IOBC and Investigation Officer Management Course (IOMC). (RT)