Cops gaining headway in total war vs crime

The National Capital Region Police Office is gaining headway in its total war against crime, particularly in their anti-drug, anti-car theft and anti-terror campaign as Metro police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco marks his first year in office.

The NCRPO recorded a 94.17 percent and a 97.38 percent overall index crime and non-index crimes solution efficiency, or a total of 9,090 cases solved.

"The NCRPO neutralized no less than nine terrorist groups that included a team of NPA hitmen, cashiered soldiers, southern Philippines terror groups and the raid and confiscation of caches of explosives, timing devices, fuses and firearms," Velasco said in his report to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.

The NCRPO also scored an impressive record in the war against illegal drugs accounting for P3.9 billion, or 80 percent of the total P5 billion drug haul reported by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for the said period.

"A total of 11,275 raids and buy-bust operations led to the arrest of 11,511 suspects, the filing of 7,710 cases in court and the confiscation of different illicit drugs and raw materials worth about P4 billion and the dismantling of three shabu laboratories in Valenzuela, Parañaque, Las Piñas and Quezon City," Velasco said.

He added that car theft which peaked at 1,220 cases from July 2001 to June 2002, drastically went down to 25 percent or only 980 cars lost in the same period. More than half of the stolen cars numbering 529 were recovered, 19 car theft syndicates neutralized and 220 members thrown to jail.

"Only seven kidnap-for-ransom cases occurred in Metro Manila in a span of one year. Five of them have been solved, two are still under investigation. Three victims were released while four were rescued. Eight kidnappers were arrested while one got killed in action. The crime most dreaded by the rich has abated," Velasco said.

As for street crimes, which victimize ordinary residents, which remained high until December of last year, the NCRPO focused its resources for the first half of this year to the directive of President Arroyo to bring down the level of crime rate.

During his first year, Velasco introduced a number of programs and projects which have been proven effective in the fight against criminality and terrorism. These include the Magic Eye with its Text Patrol 2910 which was proven effective in eliciting public support in crime reporting leading to quicker police action; the Huli-Agad, which deploys motorcycle-riding beat policemen for quick response on ongoing crimes; the Police Express which fielded teams of detectives, uniformed policemen and investigators in four big malls in Metro Manila.

Other projects pioneered by Velasco include the Pulis Malinis, Pulis Magalang and Pulis Mabilis.

"To make Metro Manila safe, police officers need to be clean not only in appearance, but in the performance of their duties and their private lives. They must be respectful of the people they protect to win back an equal respect," Velasco said.

And they have to be fast to respond when called upon to solve a public complaint," Velasco said.

Velasco said the NCRPO is also committed to cleanse its rank by imposing sanctions to erring police personnel, which range from the filing of administrative cases to dismissal proceedings. He also created a utility platoon where all Metro manila cops that are facing investigation are tasked to clean the entire Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

Velasco described as "an eye opener" the recent socio-economic survey conducted by the University of the Philippines Variates and CORPS Movement Foundation showing that 74.4 percent of 13,200 NCRPO personnel are living way below the country’s poverty threshold.

He also disclosed that the NCRPO commissioned two important surveys, the said UP and CORPS survey and the Pulse Asia Survey to determine the people’s expectations and assessment of the NCRPO;s performance. "The socio economic survey of Metro Manila policemen has gathered solid proofs that majority of our policemen are poor. The findings point straight to the extreme vulnerability of the average policeman to graft and corruption. This makes the expansion of livelihood programs we started with the DA (Department of Agriculture) and some business and civic organizations at the start of my tour of duty, even more pressing today," he said.