Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said crimes increased in their metropolis and blamed it on his inability to enforce law and order because he was stripped of his authority to directly supervise the Davao City Police Office (DCPO).
Speaking on his regular TV program ‘Basta Dabawenyo,’ Duterte said he was being kept in the dark when it comes to police operations since the DCPO is no longer under his direct supervision. He asked the unit to provide him with official data and reports of crimes being solved.
“The administration won’t allow me to make decisions. They put their own director in Davao City, which means the police [are] under their command and not under my command anymore,” Duterte claimed in Binisaya.
DCPO spokesperson Captain Hazel Tuazon, however, said their organization remains on top of the peace and order situation in Davao City under the leadership of acting director Colonel Hansel Marantan.
She said the DCPO as a whole remains steadfast in its commitment to ensure the safety and security of the people of Davao City. “Col. Marantan continues to lead an intensified campaign against all forms of criminality focusing on both crime prevention and resolution,” she added.
Tuazon noted the DCPO strengthened various programs and improved methods to fight crimes in the city, including its effective collaboration with various barangay officials to gather information that would lead to the arrest of suspected individuals.
“Despite the increase in crimes, the DCPO is working tirelessly to solve cases with many already resolved and others under active investigation. Station commanders and investigators regularly attend case conferences to ensure progress on unsolved cases and expedite their resolution,” she said.
