PNP: Petty crimes down 70%

The Philippine National Police chief Deputy Director Edgar Aglipay said petty crimes in Metro Manila has gone down by 70 percent in the recent week.

Aglipay said a downtrend in crimes was also monitored in most of the country’s urban centers mainly because of the presence of policemen in the streets.

"There is a 70 percent decline in crimes such as holdups and cell phone snatching after we doubled our men in the streets," Aglipay said.

Earlier, the Metro Manila Truckers Association also reported the decline of "kotong" perpetrated by corrupt law enforcers on truck drivers.

Encouraged by the result of the campaign, Aglipay vowed that the PNP visibility campaign will be sustained until such time all members of the police force are accustomed to their role and functions as public servants and protectors.

"The police visibility campaign will not be ningas cogon. I intend to enforce this program to the fullest," Aglipay said.

Going along with this program is the continued purging of TABA (Taba, Abusado, Bastos at Ayaw Magpadisilina) cops, the PNP chief said.

Last Thursday, Aglipay sent the first batch of TABA cops for retraining in Subic, Zambales.

Meanwhile, the first marching orders of Metro police chief Director Avelino Razon Jr. to the three incoming district directors of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) was for them to fully implement the programs and vision of the police leadership.

"They are all capable officers and should work hard for the attainment of the PNP goals, especially in regaining the trust and confidence of the citizenry," Razon said referring to Chief Superintendents Noe Wong and Wilfredo Garcia and Senior Superintendent Nicasio Radovan.

Garcia will assume command today of the Southern Police District after brief turnover rites at the commercial district in Makati City where Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes and PNP chief Director General Edgar Aglipay are scheduled to inspect security deployment of SPD policemen.

Razon said Radovan will assume his post as director of the Central Police District after simple turnover rites at CPD headquarters in Camp Karingal on Monday.

Garcia will replace Chief Superintendent Prospero Noble while Radovan will take over the post of Senior Superintendent Oscar Marinas.

Razon said Noble was promoted as his deputy director for administration while Marinas is to assume the position of NCRPO deputy director for operations.

Wong is currently vacationing with his family abroad. His deputy Senior Superintendent Raul Gonzales was tapped by Razon to act as officer-in-charge of the Northern Police District (NPD).

Wong will replace NPD director Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. who was promoted as director of the Special Action Force (SAF), the PNPs elite fighting unit. – With Non Alquitran