Police Brigadier General Joseph Arguelles has taken command of the Southern Police District (SPD), succeeding Police Brigadier General Manuel Abrugena, who has been reassigned as the Deputy Director for Operations of the National Capital Region Police Office.
Arguelles, a member of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Patnubay Class of 1995, hails from Oriental Mindoro province.
He previously served as the Chief of the Peace Process and Development Center (PPDC) based at Camp Crame in Quezon City, where he played a crucial role in fostering dialogue and peace-building efforts in conflict-affected areas.
In his inaugural speech as SPD District Director, Arguelles expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him and vowed to lead with integrity, discipline, and genuine service to the community.
He emphasized his commitment to strengthening police-community relations, upholding human rights, and intensifying anti-criminality and anti-illegal drug operations within the district.
The SPD covers the cities of Makati, Pasay, Taguig, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa as well as the municipality of Pateros.
Meanwhile, SPD officers and personnel expressed their appreciation to Abrugena for his leadership, which was marked by operational successes and strengthened community partnerships.
Under Abrugena’s leadership, the SPD achieved a significant breakthrough in crime reduction during the first quarter of 2025.
From October to December 2024 and January to March 2025, the SPD also recorded a substantial decrease in most of the Eight Focus Crimes, demonstrating the effectiveness of intensified police operations, strategic interventions, and enhanced community collaboration.
Among the notable achievements is a 22% overall decrease in crime, with total recorded incidents dropping from 348 in the last quarter of 2024 to 272 in the first quarter of 2025. This reduction reflects the district’s proactive approach to creating safer neighborhoods.
Significant improvements include:
• Theft cases falling by 39%, with 55 fewer cases (from 141 to 86);
• Rape cases dropping by 37%, with 24 fewer incidents (from 65 to 41);
• Physical injury cases decreasing by 32%, with 15 fewer cases (from 47 to 32);
• Robbery incidents declining by 6%, with three fewer cases (from 49 to 46).
These outcomes highlight the effectiveness of increased police visibility, quicker response initiatives, and deeper community engagement programs implemented under Abrugena’s leadership.