On alert 24/7: PNP secures major events without a hitch

The PNP will continue to intensify its campaign against illegal drugs, this time focusing on high-value targets (HVTs). (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — As the year 2019 comes to a close, the 195,000-strong officers and enlisted personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) could look back with pride and prestige as they have fulfilled their mandate of preserving peace and order especially during huge and international events that took place in the country.

While Filipino athletes dominated the recently-concluded 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in the country, police units have also proven themselves on top of the security situation as around 27,000 police officers were deployed to secure the various venues of sporting events.

“The PNP is all set to put our best foot forward and aim to deliver an effective security strategy,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said earlier.

The PNP said among the prohibited items in sports venues are backpacks, weapons and firearms, sharp objects, bottles, cups, cans, pyrotechnic materials, animals or pets, large banners, poles, flammable objects, and propaganda items.

The Philippines’ successful hosting of the 30th SEA Games includes securing foreign delegates who extended their stay in the country.

Banac said police units have been notified by protocol officers of delegations who have made travel arrangements for some athletes, game officials, and guests who wanted to visit other destinations in the country.

PNP officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco F. Gamboa, ordered the security contingent for the 30th SEA Games to maintain police visibility and readiness to assist athletes, officials, and guests, particularly in the movement of outbound delegates from the games and billeting venues to the airport.

“The mission ends only until after the last foreign delegate has left the country,” Gamboa said.

As the SEA Games officially closed the second week of December with a grand ceremony in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, the PNP reported that no major untoward incidents were noted during the entire duration of the games since November 30.

Except for a minor vehicular collision at the North Luzon Expressway between two buses ferrying athletes, no other major incident has been reported to the PNP Command Center in Camp Crame, which has been providing 24/7 real-time monitoring of security-related activities at the SEA Games.

“Just like in the other international events held in the country, citizen’s cooperation and support contributed immeasurably to the success of the 30th SEA Games,” Gamboa said.

Midterm elections

The number of election-related violent incidents (ERVI) during the 2019 mid-term elections dropped by 55 percent as compared to figures from 2016.

Banac said 60 ERVIs were recorded from January 19 to June 6 this year, lower than the 133 ERVIs recorded in the last elections.

For the 2019 mid-term polls, 51 incidents of election-related violence were recorded from January 13 to May 12 while eight cases were reported during Election Day.

Of the 113 victims reported for this year’s polls, 23 were killed, 46 injured while 44 unharmed, compared to the 50 people reported killed during the 2016 presidential elections.

Banac added there had been 5,176 firearms of different types confiscated and some 49,438 deadly weapons seized in operations that also resulted in the arrests of 6,203 persons.

He described operations as police response, checkpoint, gun check and the serving of search warrants from January 13 to June 5.

Banac said the PNP leadership earlier attributed the reduction in the number of incidence of election violence to early preparations that started as early as July last year, a time when the number of elected officials killed increased.

“This is a big decline. We cannot entirely say we are doing good but of course, with these incidents, we aim to fully implement our police interventions so that the number of ERVIs won’t increase,” retired PNP Chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde earlier said.

He said the sharp decrease in ERVIs can be attributed to the strict security measures implemented by both the PNP and the Armed Forces in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, and the cooperation of candidates to prevent violence.

Albayalde said other factors, which may have contributed to the low ERVIs, were the PNP’s application of search warrants on known criminal lairs, guns-for-hire, and members of private armed groups and application of warrants of arrest on wanted persons.

Boosting crime-fighting efficiency

The PNP acquired more helicopters and other equipment to further boost operational capability and visibility.

Gamboa said the newly-acquired PHP3-billion police equipment was sourced from the Capability Enhancement Program for calendar years 2012-2016, 2018, and 2019, Regular Agency Fund 2018 and the Presidential Contingency Fund.

Gamboa said the delivery of two R44 training helicopters, one unit of Bell 429 twin-engine helicopter and an Airbus H125 single-engine chopper would be a big boost in the law enforcement functions of the police in terms of air support.

“We now have five (helicopters) and five more are coming, two are towards the end of this year and three more in the middle of next year,” Gamboa stressed.

These aircraft complement the Airbus H125 single-engine chopper which was earlier delivered to the organization.

The five other choppers which will be delivered are all from Airbus, according to Gamboa.

Gamboa said the two R44 helicopters will be used to train police pilots in anticipation of more procurement of air assets in the future.

The two training choppers were delivered by Lion Air Inc. represented by Michael Maligat, head of Public Sector Projects Delivery Team and three others.

Aside from the choppers, also delivered were 51 drones; 21,992 units of Galil 5.56mm Basic Assault Rifles; 1,667 units of K2C 5.56mm Basic Assault Rifles; 205 units of K3 5.56mm Light Machine Guns; eight units of NEGEV 5.56mm Light Machine Guns; 141 units of NEGEV 7.62mm Light Machine Guns; 18,354 units of 9mm pistols and 7,962 units of helmets.

The assault rifles, machine guns, and helmets will be used by elite units of the PNP such as the Special Action Force.

Also delivered were 21 units of Explosive and Ordnance Division’s K9 Patrol Vehicle and 34 units of utility trucks.

Meanwhile, the PNP will receive three more helicopters next year.

“There will be three coming next year so yun muna yung tinitingnan namin [so that is what we are looking at now],” Gamboa told the reporters in a press briefing.

After the procurement, seven helicopters were already delivered to the PNP, Gamboa added.

“We are just waiting for the delivery to complete our 10 helicopters for our air unit,” Gamboa said.

Next year, Gamboa said, the PNP Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) would open the bids for the reinforcement of its operational capability.

“We expect procurement of still basic equipment of the PNP,” Gamboa pointed out.

Included in the next set of procurement would be long and short firearms and vehicles “to fill up our very much not yet on a high percentage of filled up in terms of our equipment”.

PNP has procured drones also for the tactical units, Gamboa bared.

“Puwede itong advance [It could be advanced] to prevent ambuscades and to advance and get to enemy frontlines so that may magandang information paano papasok ang tropa [how our troops will enter],” Gamboa said.

Moreover, Gamboa said the drones could be used for big events in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Also, he said, drones could be helpful in aerial surveillance for preventive operational activities during big celebrations.

Meanwhile, the long wait is over for the acquisition of body cameras worth around PHP289 million that will be used in anti-illegal drug operations.

Out of six proponents, Gamboa said the project for the acquisition of a body-worn camera system for police operations was awarded to the EVI Distribution, a San Juan City-based company.

Gamboa said the National Management and Monitoring Center was chosen to be the unified data hub of the body camera system.

He said the PNP would not only procure body cameras but also “sophisticated, reliable, and secure system which will allow complete system management, real-time live streaming, data storage, and backup, and overall connectivity and monitoring”.

Included in the procurement are connectivity systems, accessories, video management software, computer servers, and sufficient storage for the body cameras.

Meanwhile, the PNP Information Technology Management Service will man the monitoring center along with its 17 Regional Monitoring Centers, and 81 Provincial Monitoring Centers (PMCs).

Earlier in December, the PNP and the Home Defense Technology Corporation (HDTC) Inc. have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on efficient communications and response arrangements for real-time crime reporting system.

Gamboa and HDTC chief operating officer Jacob Luke Rana signed the pact, as the agreement aims to provide a real-time crime reporting system triggered by alarms from clients of HDTC which needs police response.

“With this new collaboration, we envision this part of the PNP’s Secured, Mobile, Artificial Intelligence-Driven, Real-Time, Technology (SMART) Policing program as a great innovation toward intelligent implementation of innovative policing technology in accordance with existing rules and policies,” Gamboa said.

On the other hand, HDTC joined the PNP in ensuring a peaceful home and communities all the time.

Such a partnership, Gamboa said, would be through providing hi-technology home security gadgets and equipment, “while giving communications and response technology with the use of the internet towards safe and secure communities”.

Going after drug ‘high-value targets’

The PNP will continue to intensify its campaign against illegal drugs, this time focusing on high-value targets (HVTs).

Gamboa said he was eyeing to recalibrate the campaign against illegal drugs.

“Yung sinabi kong calibrated ibig sabihin i-revisit yung campaign kasi three years na rin siya eh [What I mean by calibrated is to revisit the campaign because it has been three years since the drug war started],” Gamboa said.

Gamboa particularly pointed out the vagueness in defining high-value targets (HVTs) as part of the components of the renewed drug war.

The PNP OIC also said that he wanted to ask the suggestions of the policemen on the ground for the reassessment of their campaign against illegal drugs.

“This time, the assessment for the three years we have conducted on this drug war and then we reassess, ask the regional director as the concerned national support unit on this campaign,” said Gamboa.

Gamboa also vowed to further intensify the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs, particularly in curbing its supply from other countries.

Officials of agencies leading the drug war presented three suspects, including a Chinese national, who were arrested in separate operations in Makati and Las Piñas last November and yielded a total of PHP2.6 billion worth of shabu, the biggest drug bust for this year.

“We really have to focus on the supply side because of our aggressive campaign, there is still plenty of supply of illegal drugs. We have to stop the network of the supply of illegal drugs,” said Gamboa.

“This is proof of our intensified campaign against illegal drugs, this time focusing on high-value targets, drug syndicates and drug traffickers who continue to be the sources of illegal substances that are continuously being peddled on the streets,” he added.

The PNP also reiterated the call for the reinstatement of the death penalty for illegal drug traffickers in the country.

Gamboa said they are now much more in favor of the death penalty on grave illegal drug involvement as the drug haul indicates that the drug syndicates are fearless in pushing through with their illegal activities.

“Death penalty is important (because without it), they can just enhance their business. They get to have a meeting with all those personalities who are involved in this trade in prison kasi nandun sila lahat [because all of them are there],” Gamboa said.

Former PNP chiefs Albayalde and now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa both earlier called for the revival of the death penalty.

“This is the main reason for the imposition of the death penalty. We are very thankful we found an ally in the senate through, of course, Senator Bato is there and I think he has the same stand,” Gamboa said.

Internal cleansing continues

To date, Gamboa said 90 police officers were dismissed from service for various criminal and administrative offenses.

Gamboa said such a move was part of the punitive action of the PNP whose internal cleansing program remains relentless.

The PNP OIC noted that he signed dismissal orders of some police colonels, which according to him proves that punishment for erring personnel knows no ranks.

“We have dismissed almost 90 policemen for the last two months, or an average two policemen every day,” Gamboa told reporters after an inspection of firecracker stores in Bocaue, Bulacan on December 27.

Since assuming office, Gamboa said, it has been a challenge for the PNP to regain the trust of the public.

Gamboa vowed to intensify the internal cleansing to get rid of rogue policemen.

Since 2016, more than 9,000 erring police officers were given administrative sanctions.

From July 2016 until September 20 this year, Gamboa said a total of 9,172 policemen or roughly 4.7 percent of the total number of PNP personnel currently in service, had been meted various degrees of penalty for administrative cases arising from involvement in criminal activity, and violation of PNP rules and regulations.

Among those penalized were 2,806 personnel dismissed from service, 535 demoted in rank, 4,721 suspended, 762 reprimanded, 60 restricted to quarters, 208 with forfeited salary and 80 withheld privileges.

Of the 2,806 dismissed police officers, 454 were due to their involvement in illegal drug activities; 352 were found positive for using illegal drugs while 102 were involved in drug-related cases such as being a protector, user, and alike.

He also reiterated that the PNP is serious in its aim to enforce culture change and character transformation among police officers.

Gamboa also urged the public to help the PNP come out and provide information against rogue police personnel and high-value targets as part of the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

No top cop yet

Banac earlier said the PNP has no problem with President Duterte’s assurance to make a good choice for the country’s top cop.

“There is nothing to worry about because we know that the President is really emphasizing his campaign against illegal drugs and he wants to arrest the HVTs like drug lords and drug traffickers,” Banac said.

He added that the President might have been looking for somebody who will be able to continue the intensified anti-illegal drug campaign, stressing that all senior officers of the PNP are qualified for the post as they are also want to go after the HVTs.

Duterte earlier said it was not enough to be recommended with a list of contenders for the next PNP chief because he was expecting a “better deal”.

Banac said the police force can still function despite having only an officer-in-charge as Gamboa has the power to order the dismissal, recruitment, and reshuffling of police officials as mandated by the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

He, however, said the PNP needs a permanent chief next year as Gamboa, being only an OIC, cannot approve the disbursement of funds for projects and procurement of equipment.

Banac said that by January, the PNP would procure new equipment and the signature of a permanent head is needed for this measure to push through.

Gamboa is one of the top candidates as PNP chief while other contenders for the post are Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, deputy chief for operations; and Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, former Metro Manila police director and now heads the directorial staff.

The successful candidate will replace Albayalde who retired on November 8.

Ahead of his retirement, Albayalde was dragged into the ‘ninja cops’ mess in connection with a controversial anti-drug operation in Pampanga in 2013 during his stint as the province’s police chief.

Despite being an OIC, Gamboa said the thrusts of the PNP, particularly internal cleansing and the relentless war against drugs will continue in 2020.

“Still, we continue our campaign against illegal drugs specifically on HVTs. Second, I always emphasize internal cleansing. Not unless we are fully satisfied that we have really regained the trust of the community then that’s the time we slow down on it. But as of now, we still have continued our internal cleansing, the campaign against illegal drugs and of course other law enforcement functions will still be pursued,” Gamboa said.

Banac said for the year 2020, the PNP will remain at the forefront of the President’s campaign against criminality, illegal drugs and corruption to sustain gains achieved.

“We want to be more transparent. Our campaign has achieved a lot, our war against illegal drugs with of course minor setbacks. But the crime situation continues to decrease. The number of crime incidents continues to decrease. Families affected by crime and the number of drug users also decreased,” he said.

“The challenge now is how to stop the supply of illegal drugs. We will do this running after HVTs, drug traffickers and support to the death penalty because recently, the drug traffickers that we arrested are foreign nationals and it seems the penalty is light that is why they thrive here,” Banac said.