ILOILO City – Police Brigadier General Leo Francisco, director of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), ordered all units commanders and police chiefs to focus on loose firearms and fugitives, and increase police viability across Western Visayas.
This was in response to the mandate of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., to double their efforts.
Francisco’s order was also in relation to the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October this year.
“Actually, ginagawa na natin ‘yan kaso lang paigtingin pa natin to have peaceful local elections,” Francisco said.
He also ordered Police Colonel Reynante Panay, chief of the PRO-6’s Regional Intelligence Division, to monitor criminals.
“My order is clear – strengthen their barangay intelligence network so that they can gather information sa mga barangay. Dapat sila mag-coordinate sa barangay officials kasi sila ang may alam sa kanilang area,” Francisco added.
Azurin, together with Department of Interior and Local Government secretary Benhur Abalos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, during a recent meeting, agreed to enhance the drive against criminality. This includes a sustained crackdown on illegal firearms and increased police visibility across the country along with improved intelligence-gathering and training of policemen.
The PNP chief also proposed recruiting additional police officers.
The PNP has a strength of 227,000 securing the country’s 110 million population./PN
