Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar underscored that the law enforcers’ anti-criminality and anti-illegal drugs measures have been effective throughout the Duterte administration.
Eleazar was reacting to the remark of Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar that the peace and order situation in the country has improved under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“We welcome the statement made by Secretary Andanar,” Eleazar said. “Hindi maipagkakaila ang malaking pagbabago sa peace and order ng ating bansa, at ito ay suportado hindi lamang ng aming mga datos sa PNP kung hindi ng public perception ng ating taumbayan dahil nararanasan na nila ito sa nakalipas na limang taon.”
“The challenge now is how to sustain it, and this is the reason why we keep on implementing aggressive reforms and security adjustments to continuously deny criminal elements and other threat groups from preying on our kababayan. The PNP vows to sustain the gains made by this administration in achieving peace and order in the society. Hindi naming ito sasayangin,” he added.
Andanar said the volume of crime in the country has decreased by at least 64% since Duterte took power, adding that the heightened efforts against criminality and illegal drugs have contributed to this.
The PNP has consistently said that most of the crimes committed in the country are connected to the use of illegal drugs. This was proven, they said, by the sudden decrease in crime when aggressive anti-illegal drugs operations were conducted beginning July 2016.
Eleazar promised that the PNP will continue their mandate of protecting the public against lawless elements, adding that this includes the aggressive internal cleansing as part of [his] Intensified Cleanliness Policy.
A total of 5,240 erring policemen were dismissed from the service since President Duterte assumed the presidency, with 163 of these kicked out of the service since May 8 this year when Eleazar was appointed PNP chief.
He urged the public to cooperate and work with authorities toward attaining the goal of having a peaceful society free from atrocities.
“Sa ngayon, hindi lamang peace and order ang aming tinututukan dahil patuloy kaming magiging kabahagi sa layunin ng ating pamahalaan laban sa COVID-19 sa gitna ng patuloy na pagtaas ng mga kaso sa mga nakalipas na araw,” Eleazar said. (PNP-PIO) – jlo
