Mandaluyong cops’ goal: Zero cellphone snatching this year

A zero cellphone snatching and petty theft cases may seem an impossible mssion for some police officials but Mandaluyong City police chief Senior Superintendent Sukarno Ikbala has trained his eye on this undertaking this year to make the city investor-friendly.

"Since we are setting a goal for ourselves, we must aim high and hope for the best," Ikbala said, noting that with all his programs and projects in place, 2003 would be a better year for the city in terms of peace and order.

Ikbala has embarked on an impossible measure after Mandaluyong city Mayor Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. directed him to lessen the city’s crime rate to attract local and foreign investors. In attracting investors, Abalos said that a city must have a stable peace and order climate, a clean environment, an efficient garbage collection and lighting systems, a manageable traffic problem, and good infrastructures. "This is the kind of environment investors are looking for," said Abalos in a recent interview.

"That is our secret."

In his five years in office, Abalos hinted that he was able to raise the city’s revenues from P700 million to P1.2 billion. Abalos is working hard to cinvince local and foreign investors to pour more money in Mandaluyong City this year and the local police should do their share by reducing crime incidents to its lowest level. And to make sure Ikbala would succeed in his endeavor, Abalos donated recently 33 brand new mobile cars and six motorcycles for use of the police force in patroling the city’s 27 barangays. Abalos and his donation was aimed to make policemen more visible in the streets to give a strong message to criminals.

Ikbala said the city’s crime rate last year was 30 incidents every month per 100,000 population which was 12 percent lower than the figure registered for the same period in 2001. The crime solution efficiency last year was at 97 percent, up by two percent than the previous year. Ikbala said they were able to neutralize 28 crime gangs last year which resulted to the arrest of 27 most wanted personalities, including Metro Manila’s number two most wanted criminal Edwin Estenso, who carries a P175,000 bounty.

The city police chief also said all cases of crimes against property dropped by a large percentage last year except for "Akyat-Bahay" cases, which was reduced by a minimal 1.9 percent.

Ikbala is confident he can accomplish the mission. He said he has formed 400 neighborhood watch groups to guard the city’s 27 barangays to eliminate crimes against property like cellphone snatching and petty theft cases.

The police chief likewise enlisted the help of the Mayor’s Action Command (MAC), Public Order and Safety (POS) barangay watchmen, local traffic bureau and volunteer groups in his effort to reduce the city’s crime incidents. "We are one well-oiled machine here and there’s no way for us not to attain our goal," said Ikbala.

And to make his job easier, Ikbala said he is reviewing the city’s ordinances, like drinking in public places, which he intends to implement to its fullest.

"Drinking along the street was among the reasons why persons resort to petty crimes like cellphone snatching and petty robberies so we intend to implement the law to further reduce crime incidents," said Ikbala. – Non Alquitran