NEW PRO-13 DIRECTOR. Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft (left) is the new director of the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region, installed during the turnover ceremony at Camp Rafael Rodriguez in Butuan City on Friday (July 21, 2023). He replaced Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II (right), who served for nine months. (Photo courtesy of PRO-13)
BUTUAN CITY – Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft assumed Friday his new post as director of the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13).
Kraft replaced Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II in a turnover ceremony held at Camp Rafael Rodriguez, led by Lt. Gen. Filmore Escobal, Area Police Command chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Eastern Mindanao.
The PRO-13 lauded Labra's leadership in bringing significant accomplishments to the police force in the region during his tour of duty from Oct. 13, 2022 to July 17, 2023.
“He led the men and women of PRO-13 with a high sense of responsibility towards the accomplishments in its mission and objectives,” the citation read.
Labra implemented anti-criminality strategies that strengthened the fight against street crimes, and illegal drugs, and the neutralization of criminal syndicates and wanted persons, the citation said.
Labra said he is greatly honored to serve PRO-13 for nine months.
“To the best of my abilities, I did everything to everything to exemplify these qualities, serving as an example of what it means to be a father to the police force here in the Caraga Region,” Labra said in his message.
Kraft said he is not new in Mindanao as he has been assigned to the different police posts in the island region before, except in Caraga which covers Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur provinces; and the cities of Bayugan, Bislig, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Surigao and Tandag.
Kraft also expressed appreciation to the PNP leadership for giving him the chance to serve the people and lead the Caraga police force.
“I pledge to cherish the values and principles that define our organization by working to safeguard the peace and security of our region,” he said.
Kraft was replaced as Southern Police District-National Capital Region chief by Brig. Gen. Roderick Mariano, formerly deputy chief for administration of the Caraga regional police office.
Labra was reassigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management in the national headquarters. (PNA)
