Manila’s ‘secret police’ gaining grounds vs crimes

Western Police District (WPD) director Senior Superintendent Pedro Bulaong remains optimistic that Manila will soon post a lesser crime rate with the activation of well-trained plainclothes policemen or detectives.

Addressing his first "Ugna-yan" with the WPD Press Corps yesterday, Bulaong said that even the recent sensational killing of former Manila Councilor Chika Go is nearing solution through the effective sleuthing of the city’s "secret policemen."

However, he refused to elaborate on the case, saying he does not want to pre-empt the ongoing investigation of Go’s case.

"All I can say is that Task Force Chika headed by Senior Superintendent Rafael Corpuz is presently working on solid leads that can result in the arrest of the suspects anytime this week," Bulaong said.

Bulaong, a true-blue Manila policeman who rose from the ranks to become the WPD chief, revived the "detective system" in the police force as part of his program to reinvigorate the sagging image of Manila’s Finest.

"During my time as patrolman and mobile car crew of the Manila police then, the detectives or sekreta , as we used to call them, were effective in crime repression, especially in monitoring crime groups," Bulaong said.

The secret policemen as well as the regular foot and mobile car patrols were deployed in malls, buses and jeepneys and other public places to deter crime, according to Bulaong, adding not only police visibility but police presence deters criminals.

The move, he said, is starting to bear fruit as the WPD is now aware of the lairs of hardened criminals, including the places where illegal drugs and illegal gambling thrive.

In two weeks, Bulaong vowed to release the results of the sleuthing of these secret policemen, which shall form part of the basis who among the 11 police station commanders would be replaced.

"If these station commanders cannot get rid of these lawless elements, then they have to go and be replaced by effective ones," Bulaong said.

Bulaong also tasked the WPD’s District Investigation and Intelligence Division (DIID) to monitor and arrest the so-called "kotong" cops. "Discipline is one of the traits the Manila policemen should possess in order to be more effective in performing their duty. Transparency coupled with results should be the basis of their performance rating," he said.

The new WPD director also created the WPD’s Juvenile Section primarily tasked to look after the safety of school children before, during and after class hours. The city’s young vagrants, including the solvent boys, will be rounded up and rehabilitated, according to Bulaong.