Newly appointed Regional Director for NCRPO assumes office lay down marching orders on reducing crime rate, campaign on illegal drugs

Miami
September 29, 2008
Story: Newly appointed Regional Director for NCRPO assumes office lay down marching orders on reducing crime rate, campaign on illegal drugs

Newly appointed Regional Director for National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Police Director Jefferson Soriano, has lay down marching orders as he assumes office, September 29, 2008.

The turnover ceremony was held at the NCRPO, Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City at 10:00 am

On his plan, Soriano wants to reduce the crime rate of NCRPO by “3-5% semi-annually” particularly bank robbery and carnapping. “Bank robbery has gone up by about 10% while armoured van and payroll robberies gone down,” he said.

“Let us give special attention to our operations against bank robbery and other related incidents such as carnapping. For the period, bank robbery and some other incidents have slightly gone up by 25% from 35 incidents in 2007 to 44 incidents in 2008,” Soriano said.

He noted that they will push their station commanders to work harder and to strengthen their checkpoints for any possible attacks.

“Based on the Records of NCRPO, for the period January to August,2008. We have slightly increased our crime volume by a minimal 100 incidents from 12,325 in 2007 to 12, 425 in 2008. The order of the Chief PNP is to bring down the crime volume by 5-10 percent annually so that effectively, we shall have reduced the crime incidents in our area by about 10 to 20 percent in two years. Our crimes against persons have gone up by about 6 percent but our crime against property has gone down by about 1.2 percent. Our non-index crimes has gone down minimally which brings to fore, that we should push our men in field harder to conduct more operations on violations of special laws,” Soriano explained.

The non-index crimes are special laws against illegal gambling, illegal logging, illegal fishing, IPR violations, crimes against public morals, and other less serious criminal offenses. While the index crimes are crimes against persons such as murder, homicide, physical injury, rape; and crimes against property such as robbery and theft.

Soriano also said that he wants to reduce the street crimes as well by increasing police visibility and by doing their detective work more efficiently.

Soriano also want to concentrate on campaign against illegal drugs though emphasizing that there should be no compromise on drugs and operations against illegal drugs must be done properly. He said on his speech that as former Director of Director of Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) he is aware of some unscrupulous policemen have tainted the honor and integrity of those assigned with Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF).

“Planting of evidence is punishable by life imprisonment. Extortion in any form is abhorred or despised by the organization as the wrath of the PNP Leadership will bear o you if found to be guilty as such. We will back you up on harassment against you as you pursue your job, but we will throw the books on you if you conduct operations in bad faith,” Soriano warned the NCRPO police present on his assumption of office.
He will also concentrate on the carnapping incident in most especially in Quezon City. He said that he will join personally on operations that the NCPO has to do.

Aside from focusing on how to decrease the crime rate in the entire Metro Manila, Soriano is also thinking the welfare of the policemen in NCRPO. He said that he will continue on giving housing, legal assistance, scholarship and livelihood program for NCPO policemen.

With all the plans that he laid down, Soriano said, that they still need the help of the community to work on maintaining peace and order, “We cannot do all our work with out the support from you (public).”