By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The country’s top cop on Monday lauded the team of first responders of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to the magnitude 6.1 earthquake that struck Luzon last week.
“I am satisfied with the disaster response capability of our police first responders who rushed to the aid of victims and exerted effort to mitigate the risks associated with the earthquake,” PNP chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde, told reporters during Monday’s press briefing.
“I am expecting a consolidated assessment by the concerned D-Staff on how best we can improve and develop on our capability and skills to address similar emergencies,” Albayalde added.
In a memorandum signed last week by PNP Director for Operations, Major Gen. Mao Aplasca, the National Capital Region Police Office, Police Regional Office 1, PNP Special Action Force, Maritime Group, and Crime Laboratory were ordered to get ready for search and rescue operations in the quake-hit town of Porac in Pampanga.
Aplasca said this is the response of the PNP to sustain retrieval operations in Porac, which was hit hard by the earthquake.
Meanwhile, Police Regional Office 3 (Central Luzon) Director, Brig. Gen. Joel Napoleon Coronel, noted that fewer crimes were also recorded, citing total crime volume has dropped by nearly 37 percent a day after the temblor hit Central Luzon.
“We continue our search and rescue efforts as we might still have chances of finding survivors and ensure the safety of every one at the same time, we still have deployed personnel in the area to thwart criminal elements especially looters and profiteers who may take advantage of the situation,” Coronel said.
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