Newly-designated Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesus Victor “Jonvic’’ Remulla plans to further improve crime-reporting system in a bid to further improve the country's peace and order.
“It's (criminality) a continuing concern. Crime statistics are actually down. Drug hauls are actually down. Drug hauls are actually up. Our main concern now is to set up a system of reporting like a national 911 system that will benefit the entire country,’’ Remulla said.
Remulla said he wants to create an integrated approach into reporting incidences all over the country: "We're going to start with the terms of reference tomorrow (Oct. 9) and we hope to beat it out by June next year when the new term starts."
Remulla noted that politics inside the police force has to be addressed indicating that it will be a Herculean challenge for him.
“It's always the police force. The police force is composed of a lot of very fine professionals, but there is also a lot of competition and politics inside and that has to be addressed,’’ Remulla emphasized.
On the matter of scalawags, Remulla pointed out that weeding rogue cops in the Philippine National Police (PNP) ‘’can be easily dealt with’’ as this is just “a matter of enforcement.’’
The DILG chief added that finding the right cops for a particular position is “the President’s call,’’ adding that he can only make recommendations “on structural changes into the police force but it's the President's call at the end.’’
Remulla said the PNP is “top heavy,’’ emphasizing the “need to streamline the organization with “ are many superfluous positions in the institution.’’
“It's the structure that is more important. Because if you look at the culture of the PNP, it's still a carryover from the PC (Philippine Constabulary) days,’’ Remulla stressed.
“The PNP is a living institution which must grow and must adapt in order to survive in this new world,’’ Remulla said.