160,000 security guards tapped

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has enlisted the aid of some 160,000 security guards in Metro Manila to ensure that the metropolis is safe for the citizenry in anticipation of an increase in crime incidents, particularly theft and robbery, during the Christmas holidays.

NCRPO chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco has linked up with the Philippine Association of Detective and Protective Agency Operators (PADPAO), headed by its president, lawyer Ramon Bergado, to tap the security guards as the Metro Manila police force’s partner in law enforcement through Project Metro.

"They are very effective as force multipliers of our police. Metro Manila has a population of at least 10 million residents and our capital region police force has 15,000 to 17,000 men. With such a small force, the police cannot be everywhere at once," Velasco said.