DILG implements new strategies to minimize Metro crime

By Jerome Carlo R. Paunan

Friday 3rd of August 2012

MANILA, Aug. 3 (PIA) -- The Department of the Interior and Local Government has implemented a number of “drastic” anti-crime strategies to minimize, if not discourage, the commission of crimes in Metro Manila.

In a statement, DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo has put to task all the five National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) District Directors, the local chiefs of police, their sub-station and police community precinct (PCPs) commanders, to carry out the new intensified anti-crime campaign in the region.

“All concerned PNP officers in Metro Manila had been required to submit their local anti-crime campaign such as mapping of crime-prone areas in their AORs, types and time of crimes being committed, appropriate police action to be taken, and accurate crime reporting, among others,” he said.

The DILG chief said in coordination with all barangay officials in crime-prone areas, the PNP-NCRPO will initiate community-based crime prevention activities which include increased police visibility, deployment of motorcycle cops, walking the beat, checkpoints/chokepoints, deployment of secret marshals, and night watch operations.

Robredo said after the one-month intensified anti-crime campaign in the NCR, he would call for another command conference with all concerned PNP officers in the region by September, and asses the problems, the strengths and weaknesses, of the NCRPO officers from the district directors down to the PCP commanders.

“After a month or by September, after a meeting with NCRPO officers, I will call for a MM Regional Peace and Order Council meeting, meet with all the 17 mayors and all concerned officials, make an honest to goodness assessment of the crime situation in the region, seek and adopt local anti-crime strategies and solutions, and implement them ASAP,” he said.

The DILG admits that NCR, which persistently registered the most number of crimes owing to its continuously rising population, is where many organized-crime groups are based, engaging in various forms of heinous crimes which always gain prominent media attention.

“This does not include other individual criminals, like the so-called Batang Hamog, who are engaged in robbery-hold ups, snatching, pick-pocketing, theft, and other petty crimes, that must but stopped by the concerned local police,” Robredo said.

In the forthcoming so-called “ber” months, the DILG chief said the NCRPO must be prepared and ready to come up with more innovative anti-crime drive and strategies because these months are traditionally the period when there is a rise of crime incidents in the region.

Last February, during a command conference which he presided at the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City, President Aquino was concerned over reports of rising incidents of cellular phone snatching, mostly perpetrated by suspects riding-in-tandem in a motorbike.

In response, the PNP NCRPO, strengthened the campaign against riding-in-tandem suspects by deploying checkpoints and chokepoints in all critical areas in Metro Manila, vastly reducing cellular phone snatching incidents.

Robredo said that whether real or perceived, the rising crime incidents in the Metropolis should be addressed because the government wanted the people in the region to have peace of mind, without fear of falling victims to crime while in their homes, out in the streets, schools, and place of work.

“As I have said before, there should be a continuing 'full court press' against ordinary criminals and other crime groups operating in Metro Manila. Although the NCRPO cannot cover every nook and corner of the region, there should be a quick response and solution to every crime committed in the region. This will serve as deterrent in the commission of crimes,” he said. (DILG/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)