PNP gears up for ASEAN chiefs of police conference

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police is now gearing up to host the 34th conference of chiefs of police of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)- member countries to be held next week in Manila. 

In a briefing at PNP headquarters in Camp Crame on Thursday, PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima said one of objectives of the ASEANAPOL  Conference is to increase regional cooperation against transnational crimes.

"The ASEANAPOL convenes annually to discuss pressing regional issues involving transnational crime and international criminal activity affecting ASEAN," Purisima said in a statement.

He said he takes pride in hosting this year's ASEANAPOL especially with the recent arrest of suspected members of a syndicate in the so-called "sextortion" scam.

"The 34th ASEANAPOL in Manila comes as a most wonderful opportunity for the ASEAN law enforcement community to highlight the need for stronger international cooperation against highly technical criminal activity, particularly cybercrime where we gained headway recently as a result of Case Operation Plan “Strikeback”, initiated by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group in cooperation with international law enforcement agencies,"  Purisima said.

The conference, slated on May 12 to May 16, will be participated in by 250 police delegates from 10 ASEANAPOL member countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Among the topics to be discussed during the conference include illegal drug trafficking, terrorism, arms smuggling, human trafficking and maritime fraud.