DILG lists gains in crime campaign

Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes said the government has made significant gains in the war against criminality even as he asked the people to develop a stronger "sense of community under the rule of law."

"Many of these gains resulted from our efforts to enhance police presence and professionalism," said Reyes, who added that carjacking incidents decreased by 34 percent and the number of bank robberies dropped by 52 percent in 2005.

Without giving comparative details, Reyes also said the "highway-jacking" of cargo trucks declined by 63 percent and illegal gambling declined by 34 percent as 103 financiers and 13,496 illegal gambling personnel were apprehended.

In the campaign against illegal drugs, the police confiscated P3.840 billion worth of illegal drugs, dismantled 17 shabu laboratories and warehouses, neutralized four drug trafficking syndicates, arrested over 14,000 pushers and users, filed over 8,000 drug-related cases in court and cleared 735 barangays of the illegal drug trade.

Reyes added that five kidnap-for-ransom groups were neutralized or dismantled and 77 suspected members of kidnapping syndicates arrested in 2005.

He also said 263 crime syndicates were "neutralized" and over 1,000 suspected members of these syndicates were arrested.

Reyes said the PNP also apprehended 142 of the people on its "Most Wanted Persons" list, along with over 3,200 other persons wanted by the police for various offenses.

According to Reyes, the government in 2005 — through the Philippine National Police (PNP) — "established 3,500 Cops-Kababayan Centers in urban areas, 392 satellite police stations and 208 bomb incident centers."

The DILG, which supervises the PNP, also purged the police force of 247 scalawags and other inefficient and corrupt personnel.

Reyes also cited the reforms and accomplishments of the Bureau of Fire Prevention in fighting and preventing fires and the Bureau of jail Management and Penology in holding and rehabilitating prisoners.

He also mentioned the efforts of the DILG to empower local government units and local communities to maintain peace and order and provide more efficient services to the public.

Reyes vowed that, this year, the DILG will vigorously carry out programs, projects and activities that are aligned with President Arroyo’s 10-point agenda. — Cecille Suerte Felipe