NCRPO targets street crimes

With the State of the Nation Address (SONA) now behind them, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) can now fully focus on the war against criminality.

Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol met with his five district directors last night to map out their plan of action in dealing with kidnappers, bank robbers and street criminals.

"With the SONA rally now behind us, we will now be concentrating on criminality and street crimes, especially shooting incident cases which remain unsolved," Querol said.

He said they still expect "mosquito" rallies in Metro Manila in the next few days, but can easily deal with them unlike the SONA rally in which at least 40,000 demonstrators took part.

When pressed on what strategy the NCRPO would employ in its is renewed war against criminality, Querol said a visibility campaign would be playing a key role.

He said checkpoint operations in strategic areas of Metro Manila will be intensified to prevent terrorists and criminals from bringing in explosives and firearms.

The Metro police chief said crimes in the metropolis remains at a manageable level, but emphasized the NCRPO must put in place preventive measures to further reduce cases to their lowest level.

"We will be planning our next moves and implement them now," said Querol.

The Metro police chief said he will also ask his district directors to update him on unsolved cases like the slaying of former Pasig City Rep. Henry Lanot and the ambush-slaying of Dr. Nicolo Echiverri in Mandaluyong City.

"We must focus our attention and resources to solve these cases so that we cannot be accused of sleeping on the job," he said.

While busy attending to SONA security duties, policemen still continued performing their other tasks as evidenced by the arrest of at least 10 people and the confiscation of high-powered guns and handguns in Quezon City and Las Piñas City, he said.

In the shift of priority, Querol said, the NCRPO would once again appeal for the community’s active participation, saying the police alone cannot accomplish the job on hand. — Non Alquitran