Outgoing Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Eduardo Año lauded on Wednesday, June 29, the Philippine National Police (PNP) for its contribution in reducing the crime rate across the country.
Año attributed the decline in crime to the aggressive campaign against illegal drugs since President Duterte assumed the top post of the country in July 2016.
“Through the PNP’s steadfast fulfillment of its mandate to protect the Filipino people in areas such as anti-illegal drugs, internal cleansing, and crime rate reduction, the Duterte administration has delivered its promises to the people who have voted for him in 2016. PNP has truly been an active contributor to the DILG’s accomplishment in its peace and order advocacies,” Año said.
“Kami sa DILG ay nagagalak sa malaking ambag ng PNP sa nakaraaang anim na taon sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte (We at the DILG are overwhelmed by the huge contribution of the PNP in the past six years under the Duterte administration),’’ he added.
Año said that the PNP, as one of the attached agencies of the DILG, has been active in its peace and order campaign especially its anti-illegal drugs initiatives which has led to more than P88.83-billion worth of confiscated drugs, shabu, controlled precursors and essential chemical, and laboratory equipment from July 2016 to March 2022.
He noted that in the course of six years under the Duterte administration, 336,796 individuals linked to illegal drugs were arrested through more than 230,000 anti-illegal drugs operations conducted nationwide. Among these, 14,888 high value targets were likewise imprisoned.
Año reported that 4,307 children aged four to 17 who were involved in illegal drugs were rescued and 1,053 government workers were arrested in anti-illegal drugs operations across the country.
“Kailangang mapanagot ang mga sangkot sa iligal na droga (Those involved in the illegal drug trade should be made answerable) that has been the one of the targets for the past six years. Now at the end of the Duterte administration, we can say that we have delivered our end of the bargain. Malaking bahagi nito ang PNP kasama ang ibang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan (A major part of this is the PNP including the various government agencies),’’ Año said.
In coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the PNP has seized 11,788.33 kgs. of shabu; 10,157.27 kgs. of marijuana dried leaves; 163,295 pieces of ecstasy; and, 530.24 kgs. of cocaine while a total of 1,111 drug dens and clandestine laboratories have likewise been dismantled in the past six years.
Moreover, some 24,766 barangays have been declared drug-free as a result of the collaborative efforts of the PNP, LGUs and other agencies.
Declining crime rate
Año said the PNP’s crime reduction measures were evident during the Duterte administration as crimes against persons such as murder, homicide, and physical injury together with crimes against properties such as robbery, theft, and carnapping have seen a significant decline in the past six years.
Based on PNP data, from more than 6,000 cases in July 2016, murders committed in the country have slimmed down to 983 as of March 2022 with physical injury tallying 1,172 cases, a huge decline compared to its 2016 data of 17,988. Robbery cases also decreased to 1,240 from 9,413 cases in July 2016.
Año said that this can be attributed to the police organization’s intensified crime prevention initiatives founded on maximized police visibility dedicating 564,777,443 man-hours on police beat/foot and mobile patrols in performing 24-hour police operations, anti-criminality campaigns and public safety services; deployment of more police officers in conflict-affected areas; and various innovations in crime-fighting mechanisms such as ‘On Calls Responded for Police Assistance Program’ where 424,287 calls were responded to by police officers within 15 minutes.
The crime volume steadily declined in the past six years leading to 49,383 in March 2022 compared to 292,589 in July 2016 when President Duterte assumed leadership of the country.
PNP internal cleansing
DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan E. Malaya said that PNP internal cleansing has been a steady effort of the police organization to ensure that its ranks are cleared of erring police officers and scalawags.
He noted that the PNP has administered disciplinary actions and sanctions to those involved in corruption and other unlawful activities resulting in the dismissal from service of 3,632 erring police personnel since July 2016.
A total of 3,147 police officers were also suspended according to the PNP.
Malaya said that a total of 9,408 PNP erring police personnel were either suspended, reprimanded, demoted, dismissed from service and suspended since July 2016, among others. (Chito A. Chavez)