New Makati top cop promises to crack whip on crime

MANILA, Philippines - Makati City’s new police chief, Senior Superintendent Ernesto Barlam has vowed to crack the whip against criminals in the city.

Barlam, who took over on Monday as city police chief from Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban told reporters that he particularly wants the city police to focus on boosting police visibility and driving hard against petty and street crimes especially now that the holiday season is fast approaching.

“I want more police visibility. We will take police officers out of their offices and into the streets to do patrols,” he said.

Barlam, 52, a member of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Tagapaglingkod” Class of 1987 previously served as chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Barlam said that although he is now technically the city police chief, his status remains as “officer-in-charge” as Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay still needs to select a permanent police chief from a shortlist of five candidates.

According to Barlam, contrary to reports, Lukban stepped down as Makati Police chief not because of the city’s apparent high crime rate.

He said Lukban is now detailed with the NCRPO’s Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU) which is traditionally known to hold police officers in “floating” status.

“He (Lukban) stepped down as city police chief simply because he had already served his term of two years,” said Barlam.