Personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency prepare confiscated illegal drugs in Jolo, Sulu on Nov. 20, 2024. Source: PDEA

This change is part of the move of Sulu from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to Region IX. The turnover took part during a symbolic rite at the Camp Police Senior Superintendent Julasirin Kasim in Barangay Asturias in Jolo with officials from the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) present, as well as representatives of different sectors of the region. The ceremony was witnessed by Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan II and top officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, Quezon City, including Major Gen. Neri Vincent Ignacio as well as Major Gen. Lex Ephraim Gurat and received by PRO-9 Director Brig. Gen. Eleazar Matta and PRO-9’s regional staff. PRO-BAR Director Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman to the handover “I know these officers as efficient and hardworking. Together with the police in Sulu, they can efficiently manage the Sulu PPO.” Tan II said that he would continue to support the peacekeeping and law-enforcement activities under the new region, PRO-9. Police and military in Sulu have long been joining forces in the fight against crime and clearing of the presence of Abu Sayyaf in the region.

“I know these officers as efficient and hardworking. Together with the police in Sulu, they can efficiently manage the Sulu PPO.”

Security Concerns in Sulu and Sulu Police

The region has seen continuous efforts to bring security and development. In August a former leader of the Abu Sayyaf group, who was accused of planning an ambush that killed a provincial police chief 16 years ago, was killed in an armed encounter in a combined operation by a joint police-Army team attempting to arrest him in Barangay Kapok Punggol, Maimbung, Sulu. The Maj. Gen. Leonardo I. Peña, Commander of the 11th Infantry "Alakdan" Division and Joint Task Force Orion stated that "this operation demonstrates our unwavering commitment to uphold the rule of law. Our troops remain constantly vigilant, and we will not allow unlawful disturbances affecting the lives of the people of Sulu. There is no place for criminals and lawless elements to hide in Sulu, and justice will always catch up with those who sow violence, fear, and disorder in our communities.” This recent clash comes as security forces intensify their pursuit of the remaining members of the group in the region. Although Abu Sayyaf’s strength has diminished in recent years, incidents like the one in Maimbung highlight the ongoing difficulties in Sulu’s more remote southern areas. This case highlight a significant step forward, not only in the broader security campaign but also in the Philippines’ efforts to allocate adequate resources to a region long plagued by terrorism, piracy, and poverty.

"This operation demonstrates our unwavering commitment to uphold the rule of law. Our troops remain constantly vigilant, and we will not allow unlawful disturbances affecting the lives of the people of Sulu. There is no place for criminals and lawless elements to hide in Sulu, and justice will always catch up with those who sow violence, fear, and disorder in our communities.”

The Need to Address the Root Causes of Crime

Besides the continued fight against terrorism, the police in Sulu are continuing to fight drug related crimes as well as smuggling. This year Sulu police shut a drug operation and had a big success last summer in catching illegal smuggling of cigarettes into the country. Crime rates in the Philippines are often higher in poorer neighborhoods, coinciding with larger numbers of unemployment. High numbers of criminal behavior are influenced by numerous factors, but there is significant evidence that poverty significantly increases the risk of crime. Reasons are limited opportunities or economic hardship, leading individuals to commit crime to meet their basic needs.

During the ceremony officials from the BARMM region, along with trade and investment authorities, highlighted that several previously isolated towns in Sulu, which are now free from Abu Sayyaf terrorists, are beginning to emerge as key investment centers for capital-intensive agricultural projects. One example is an initiative that supports former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants in transitioning to sustainable farming practices. Within the scope of the project construction on a warehouse to support farmers provided by the the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) was recently started.

The police's relocation to Region IX could potentially mark a step towards addressing crime in Sulu by focusing on the underlying factors, such as poverty, that contribute to criminal activity in the region. Possibilities could be targeted interventions, by continuing to implement programs to access education and job training and focusing on community development, by addressing poverty through structural changes and development initiatives.

REFERENCES

AFP Radio DWDD (2025, August 18). Security Forces Suppress Notorious Lawless Element in Sulu: No Safe Haven for Criminals. https://www.facebook.com/

Bangsamoro Government. (2025, September 16). Sulu farmers harvest rice, gain new agri-facility from MAFAR. Bangsamoro Government. https://bangsamoro.gov.ph/

Business World (2025, September 16). BARMM’s Sulu police force now under PRO-9. https://www.bworldonline.com/

Northwest Career College. (2025, August 1). The relationship between poverty and crime. Northwest Career College. https://www.northwestcareercollege.edu/

Philippine News Agency (2024, November 22). PDEA destroys more than P38-M illegal drugs in Jolo, Sulu. https://www.pna.gov.ph/

Philippine Star (2024, April 2). Cops seize 45 boxes of imported cigarettes in Sulu. https://www.philstar.com/

Philippine Star (2025, July 6). 6 busted, drug den shutdown in Sulu operation. https://www.philstar.com/

Philstar Global. (2025, August 17). Suspect facing 33 criminal cases killed in Sulu shootout. Philstar. https://www.philstar.com/

Philippine Star (2025, September 16). BARMM’s Sulu police force now under PRO-9. https://www.philstar.com/

Statista. (2025). Crime in the Philippines. https://www.statista.com/