Police Brig. Gen. Anthony A. Aberin, director of the National Capital Region Police (NCRPO), vowed to take back the sidewalks and other public spaces in Metro Manila from criminal elements who have been using them in promoting the manufacture and sale of fake documents. 

Aberin earlier ordered a crackdown on the individuals and groups engaged in producing and selling fake senior citizen and persons with disability (PWD) identification cards after business establishments complained of proliferation of the forced document.

But Aberin explained that the aggressive drive against the document-forging trade should also focus on denying the criminal elements of the space and opportunity for their illegal activities.

“Our operation extends beyond individual offenders, we are continuously coordinating with the local government units for the conduct of aggressive clearing operations aimed at dismantling the ecosystem that enables this illegal trade,” said Aberin.

On Feb. 7 for instance, he said NCRPO operatives launched a large-scale road clearing operation along C.M. Recto Avenue corner Oroquieta Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila. 

Aberin said the operation removed street obstructions, restored traffic flow, and disrupted illegal vendors suspected of serving as fronts for counterfeit document production.

The following day, another road clearing operation was conducted along Avenida, Sta. Cruz, Manila which led to the confiscation of multiple fake diplomas, further crippling illicit document forgery operations. 

Aberin, however, emphasized that their operations do not end in the clearing alone as police commanders were instructed to maintain police presence to ensure that they will not go back.

“With precision, persistence, and an unshakable resolve to restore order, NCRPO is not just eliminating crime—it is reclaiming the integrity of public institutions, ensuring that deception finds no stronghold in Metro Manila,” said Aberin.

“This is not just enforcement—it is a transformation of Metro Manila’s streets into spaces of orderliness and security,” he added.

The campaign against forgers of documents in Metro Manila is part of the implementation of the “Broken Windows” theory currently being pushed by Aberin.

The “Broken Windows” theory means that more serious crimes like robbery, murder and other violent actions start from simple misdemeanors and non-violent breaking of rules and regulations—and thus, must be acted upon in the soonest possible time. 

It stemmed from an analogy that small cracks in the windows could lead to a bigger problem in the entire house or building if not attended to. 

This was the concept behind the order of Aberin to strictly enforce the ordinances of the local government units in Metro Manila.

And in the first 24 days of 2025 alone, the NCRPO recorded more than 148,000 violators of ordinances, including smoking and drinking in public places, curfew for minors and roaming the streets without shirts.

In the same period, the NCRPO reported that Metro Manila LGUs earned over P42 million in fines by the apprehended violators.

“Let us aspire for a Metro Manila where integrity prevails, criminals are held accountable, and the rule of law reigns supreme. The fight against crime is far from over, but one certainty remains—justice will always prevail, and those who seek to deceive will find themselves on the losing end of history”, said Aberin.