Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Monday said he intends to meet with Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio to explain the force’s current approach against lawless elements.
Azurin’s remarks came after Duterte-Carpio said the government should show “no mercy” to criminals and terrorists as it aims to enhance coordination and cooperation on national security.
Meanwhile, the PNP reported no death during anti-drug operations conducted in the first 17 days of this month, as part of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In a press briefing on Monday at Camp Crame, Azurin also reported that a total of 1,952 drug suspects were arrested in 1,790 operations from Sept. 1 to 17.
The operations also resulted in the seizure of 67.8 kilograms of shabu, 194 kgs. of marijuana products, and 701,000 fully-grown marijuana plants.
“You know, the ‘no mercy to criminals’ remarks have different contexts. It can be no mercy to criminals — we arrest them and jail them. That’s part of no mercy to criminals,” Azurin told reporters.
“Definitely I have plans to see our Vice President. Whether she is the OIC (officer-in-charge) or not. I’ve been just busy the past few days but that’s one part of my to-do list, I have to see the VP,” he added.
Azurin said the PNP follows the basic rule of law.
“It does not mean that we go to the extent of the insinuations mentioned by others. As I have said, the statement [of VP Sara] is subject to interpretations, that is why for us we have the basic rule of law,” he stressed.
Azurin said the PNP does not need to scare criminals and that the police force values life and its position is in line with the guidance of the President, which is to ensure the safety of the public.
The PNP chief, meanwhile, thanked the Senate for appreciating its actions to resolve kidnapping cases involving Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
Azurin said the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group has solved nine of the 17 POGO-related kidnapping cases reported since January this year.
Out of this figure, one case has been marked as cleared while seven other cases remain under investigation.
“The PNP is also grateful for the responsiveness of the senators to PNP proposals that will establish an efficient system of monitoring and identification of alien workers in the POGO industry as well as the exercise of visitorial powers by PNP Units to inspect and account for security personnel and systems employed in POGO firms, some of whom have been reported to be active participants in some kidnapping and illegal detention complaints,” Azurin said.
To further bolster the police’s investigative capacity in POGO-related incidents, Azurin said the police force is seeking to forge a better understanding with concerned government agencies such as the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).
Azurin said the cooperation is in line with operational plans to conduct on-the-spot records verification of foreigners and enforcement of applicable laws and local ordinances that regulate business operations.
“This is why the PNP is suggesting that we want Pagcor to furnish us with the list of approved POGO operators so that our crackdown and search will be easier. We also coordinate with all law enforcement agencies, the BI. NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) as well as with our regional forces,” he said.
“We also asked the communities to give us information for us to be able to easily flush out those who are illegally staying and those who commit crimes here. We cannot let them destroy our President’s vision of having a safe and robust economy,” Azurin said.
In the same period, Azurin said the PNP has also arrested 3,142 wanted persons, including seven who are listed as most wanted with a reward offered for information leading to their arrest.
These operations against wanted persons resulted in the death of one suspect while 32 other wanted persons surrendered to authorities.
The PNP has also neutralized 13 organized crime groups with the arrest of 80 suspects and surrender of four criminal gang members, and confiscation of 13 firearms. No death was reported in these operations against criminal gangs.
He said the Directorate for Operations also recorded similarly significant results of police operations against carnapping, loose
firearms, and environmental law violations in forestry and fisheries.
“For this month, the PNP posted 83 percent recovery efficiency for stolen motor vehicles and motorcycles. Of the 60 carnapping cases reported since September 1, the PNP recovered 50 of these stolen vehicles. To take away instruments of violence and crime from the hands of unauthorized persons, the PNP has accounted for 896 confiscated and surrendered loose firearms from 326 persons this month,” said Azurin.
Azurin added that the PNP arrested 25,722 persons in 4,708 separate operations against illegal gambling that resulted in the confiscation of PHP4.3 million in gambling bets and the filing of 3,005 cases.
“These aggressive operations will be sustained in the weeks ahead leading to the holiday season when we shall double our efforts in response to the exigency of the situation,” he said.
Azurin, meanwhile, announced the launch of the revitalized PNP KASIMBAYANAN program which stands for Kapulisan, Simbahan, at Pamayanan.
It is a synergized and collaborative partnership between the PNP and the general public through the intervention and help of the religious sectors towards the goal of a holistic transformation that involves the PNP and the community.
Azurin said the PNP sees the altruistic influence of religion in the enrichment of the police organization’s finest culture and traditions of law enforcement as it inscribes into the hearts and minds of PNP members the purest principles of morality.
“The establishment of the National Police begins with an honorable policeman who loves his family, respects others, fears God, loves the people and is faithful to the service. All of these are necessary towards more effective service to the people,” Azurin said.
The event showcased the distribution and pinning of the KASIMBAYANAN button pins to PNP personnel and KASIMBAYANAN partners from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Imam Council of the Philippines (ICPI), Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches of the Philippines, Inc. (PCECI), and Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (KAISA)/Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) which symbolize awareness to the various communities that we in the police service and the people we serve have a vital role in contributing peace, order, and progress.
Further, the PNP jingle “Life is Beautiful” was introduced and was sung with fervor by all attendees.
“Let this beautiful aria resonate as a clamor of hope and as an unyielding instrument of unity that binds the gallant men and women of the Philippine National Police and all sectors of the community towards our dream for progress, as we address peace and security in our country with the utmost respect of human rights and highest regard to the rule of law,” said Azurin.