Palace: Low crime rate good, but still unacceptable

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday disputed claims that the crime rate in the country has increased, even as it admitted that the figures remain unacceptable.

“There should be no unsolved crimes because any unsolved crime is a blight on society and it poses a threat to the safety and lives of our people,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said during a press briefing.

He cited the report of the Philippine Statistical Authority and Senate Economic Planning Office that crime incidence has been dropping since 2010 and solution rate has improved from 13 percent to 37 percent.

However, he said the figure remains unacceptable as it means only one out of three crimes is being solved.

“This means there are still opportunities. If citizens are aware that the crime will remain unsolved anyway, then this would really embolden criminals in committing their misdeeds. We have to intensify our crime prevention and law enforcement efforts despite what the figures may be showing now,” he said.

He said the crime solution rate would only be acceptable if it is 100 percent.

“There should really be no unsolved crime… if a person was killed, brazen killing or lack of respect for life would not be acceptable for us… We would like to be able to improve despite figures that say there are already improvements, because unsolved crimes are not acceptable by our standards,” he said.

In a letter to President Aquino, the Violence Against Crime and Corruption noted the increase in crime incidence in the country. VACC chairman Dante Jimenez also asked for the resignation of Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima and Quezon City Police Chief Superintendent Richard Albano for failing to stop crimes in the country and maintain peace and order.

The VACC proposed the establishment of a high-security prison facility similar to the defunct Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in the United States, requiring motorcycle passengers to wear vests and helmets with the plate number of the motorcycle for easier identification and prevention of crimes, greater police visibility and revival of the death penalty for heinous crimes to serve as deterrent.

Coloma said VACC’s letter was received Tuesday afternoon by the Office of the President and has been referred to the Office of the Executive Secretary.

He said suggestions from citizens on how to improve law enforcement and crime prevention are welcome, but the crime statistics they are presenting should be verified with those issued by concerned government agencies.

When asked about the uncertainty of punishment for criminals and criticisms that impunity persists and emboldens lawbreakers, Coloma said Aquino had repeatedly explained the criminal justice system must be reformed since law enforcement is only one of its aspects.

He said the length of time the cases would be heard after filing would have to be factored in and if justice was being served equally to the rich and the poor.

“What we are dealing with here is a systemic problem, which is the need to reform the entire criminal justice system, which we will have to do step-by-step,” he said.

Roxas and Purisima’s performance

Asked about the performance of Roxas and Purisima, Coloma said these were being monitored along with the submission of regular reports.

He also reiterated the President’s hands-on approach to crime solution.

Coloma said the PNP has likewise adopted measures to prevent opportunities to commit crimes, such as increasing police visibility, intensified patrols and checkpoints in strategic locations.

He also stressed the importance of vigilance in communities as an important element of crime prevention, along with the recruitment of 18,500 additional police officers and 13,000 civilian personnel.

Coloma said the coverage ratio is now one police officer for every 675 citizens. With the 18,500 additional police officers, the ratio would be one for every 579, he said.

Police visibility

Police presence on the streets will be tripled to address criminality in Metro Manila, said Roxas.

He said each of the 38 police stations in the National Capital Region was directed to set up checkpoints 24/7 in strategic areas.

“If we can do this during election period, why can’t we do it everyday? This is for public safety anyway,” Roxas said during a press briefing. “In a span of one week, police presence will be doubled and tripled in the second week. It should not be business as usual in the PNP anti-crime effort, it should be best efforts.”

Roxas presided over a four-hour command conference with PNP chief Purisima and other top PNP officials and police commanders in Metro Manila.

He said the PNP will also implement Oplan Katok and Oplan Lambat.

Oplan Katok was launched two years ago to account for loose firearms, while Oplan Lambat is focused on the campaign against unregistered motorcycles that include those with no license plates.

He said the PNP has also created a national composite anti-crime unit that will handle the investigation of murder and high-profile crime incidents.

Purisima has designated CIDG Chief Director Benjamin Magalong to head the newly created unit with support components from the PNP Intelligence Group, Crime Laboratory and other PNP National Support and Line Units.

He said police regional offices were directed to intensify intelligence-driven and focused patrol and checkpoint operations in crime-prone areas based on data determined by the crime clock and crime map to complement the investigative efforts of the anti-crime unit. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe