The number of crime incidents in Metro Manila went down to 25 percent during the first six months of the year, the National Capital Region Police Office announced on Tuesday.
The NCRPO also reported that the crime rate for the first two years under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte as compared with the last years under the Aquino administration decreased by 49 percent.
Metro Manila police director Guillermo Eleazar attributed the significant accomplishment to the NCRPO’s continuing war on drugs campaign and six other identified key factors.
“First, the government’ s war on drugs has been considerably very effective. Since July of 2016 to June 2018, the NCRPO has recorded a total of 233,896 drug users and pushers who surrendered to the authorities,” said Eleazar.
NCRPO also arrested and jailed 48,886 individuals while 1,590 were neutralized during various police operations.
“Evidently, the less number of drug addicts on the street equates to lesser criminal activities and criminal incidents. The drug addicts as expected will always find ways to get money in order to satisfy their physical and psychological craving on illegal drugs,” Eleazar said.
“To some extent, they are forced to steal, rob shops and innocent people on the streets, barge into homes, in worst cases have to assault, hurt and even kill their victims to get money to buy illegal drugs. Consequently, the government’s effort to intensify its campaign against illegal drugs through the PNP has been an effective tool to lessen such crime,” he added.
Secondly, Eleazar said, police presence and the aggressive drive against criminality and illegal drugs has led to more arrests, neutralization of criminals and confiscation of illegal drugs which will be considered as a significant accomplishment. This factor, he added, serves as deterrent to potential criminals to pursue their nefarious ways and evil designs against the innocent people.
“Accordingly, media and information dissemination as the third factor played a very important role in enhancing community engagement, in bringing the police closer to the people, and in soliciting the support of the public to the undertakings of the police, especially the Team-NCRPO,” Eleazar said.
“With the advent of technology and social media, the accomplishments, plans and programs of NCRPO have gained trust and confidence from the public. Netizens are even more cooperative and supportive in giving relevant information and reports,” he added.
Eleazar also attributed the latest accomplishment to the serious Internal Cleansing Policy of spearheaded by former PNP chief Ronaldo dela Rosa and now aggressively pursued by his successor Oscar Albayalde which has been a driving force in eradicating erring cops.
He added that with the development after President Duterte granted his promise to increase the salaries of policemen, especially the rank and file, generated a high state of morale in the organization making them more diligent and prompt in performing their respective duties.
“As a saying goes, happy is the man who leads a happy home for he will reflect this happiness in his work,” said Eleazar.
“The advent of new technology such as CCTV’s, GPS systems and tracking devices, smart phones and social media are also significant contributors in the decrease of the said crime rate. These attributed easy access of reporting any relevant information to the police. Thus, the police able to perform efficient and successful response operation,” the NCRPO chief said.
“And lastly, the strict implementation of local ordinances and national laws as emphasized by the President, is also a considerable factor. This drive precisely prevents petty violations of local ordinances and hinders possible crime incidents to happen. The Team NCRPO had been the working force in the strict observance and implementation.”