Younger cops to be assigned in Metro

Older policemen will be eased out of Metro Manila streets in favor of fresh police academy graduates with the rank of Police Officer 1 (PO1).

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Leandro Mendoza said the PNP needs younger blood to pound the streets of Metro Manila and go after criminals.

"They are faster and quick in their reflexes in countering criminal acts," Mendoza said.

For this, Mendoza announced yesterday that all police recruits in Luzon will be required to each render a six-month tour of duty in Metro Manila after their police training and graduation.

Those who will be affected by the new PNP guidelines, are new police graduates from Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Central and Northern Luzon regions.

Mendoza said the policy is to bolster the police beat patrol system currently enforced in the Metropolitan Manila area. "We prefer younger policemen, than the older ones, to pound the streets of Metro Manila to sustain our campaign against criminality," Mendoza said.

He added that aging policemen will be tapped as supervisors or as support groups. "We need their experience and their skills in handling crisis situations and the like," Mendoza said.

In Manila, an alleged informant of the Western Police District (WPD) was shot dead by three still unidentified men outside of the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila Tuesday night.

Reports reaching the WPD-Homicide Section identified the victim as Daud Ankan, 24, of 843 Globo de Oro St., Quiapo.

According to Senior Police Officer 1 Diomedes Labarda, the victim had just stepped out of the mosque which is located between Globo de Oro and Cunao streets, and was on his way home at about 7:35 p.m. when three armed men approached him.

Police said the men, suddenly pulled out handguns and shot the victim several times at close range. Reports said, though wounded, Ankan still managed to pull out a handgun and return fire, wounding one of his attackers. – Mike Frialde