The ASEAN Chiefs of National Police or ASEANPOL has designated the first Filipino police officer as the executive director to be based in the secretariat’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. 

Col. David Vinluan’s designation as the ASEANPOL Secretariat’s executive director was effective on 11 January.

Vinluan is the first Filipino cop to hold the post since the establishment of ASEANAPOL in 1981.

ASEANPOL is composed of all Chiefs of Police in the ASEAN countries. The secretariat’s first meeting was held in Manila.

It is tasked to deal with operational, enforcement, and preventive aspects of regional cooperation against transnational crimes. 

Before his appointment in the ASEANPOL, Vinluan served as the Chief of the Policies, Plans, and Programs Division of the PNP’s Directorate for Research and Development.

Vinluan was a member of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.

He also worked with the United Nations Police Division at UN Headquarters in New York. 

Vinluan attended the handover ceremony at the Royal Malaysia Police Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The ceremonial handover to Vinluan was led by Deputy Inspector General of the Royal Malaysian Police Dato Sri Ayob Khan bin Mydin Pitchay at the Royal Malaysia Police Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on 15 January. 

BGen Nicolas Salvador, PNP Deputy Director for Plans, attended the ceremony on behalf of PNP Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., along with Police Attaché PCol. Excelso Lazaga Jr. while Second Secretary and Political Officer Johaira Wahab Manantan represented the Philippine Embassy. 

In his assumption speech, Vinluan vowed to “carry on the fight against organized threats of transnational crimes in the region.” 

He committed to continue promoting regional peace and stability “through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations.”

Upon his official assumption, Vinluan paid a courtesy call to Ambassador-Designate Maria Angela Ponce, where they exchanged views on how transnational crimes, such as human trafficking and cybercrimes, are threatening the safety and livelihood of Filipino workers in Malaysia.

Ponce likewise conveyed the Philippine embassy’s readiness to work with ASEANAPOL to address identified transitional crimes.