NCRPO reactivates bus marshals

At least 50 uniformed policemen started riding public utility buses on EDSA yesterday as the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reactivated its bus marshal program to protect passengers from robbers.

In coordination with transport group officials, Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol supervised the deployment of policemen from the Regional Special Action Unit (RSAU) to buses at 6 a.m.

"The uniformed policemen will be deployed to deter crimes," said Querol, adding the RSAU operatives will be backed up by motorcycle-riding officers and mobile car crews.

Querol said RSAU operatives will be armed with handguns.

The NCRPO chief said only 10 percent of the bus marshals will be plainclothes cops.

"They will board buses, disembark at certain areas along EDSA and ride another bus," Querol explained.

Apart from holdup men, Querol said, the bus marshals will also be on the lookout for snatchers, pickpockets and other criminal groups.

Querol reactivated the bus marshals following a meeting with transport group leaders last Tuesday at the NCRPO satellite office in Kamuning, Quezon City.

Claire de la Fuente, president of the Metro Bus Operators Association (MBOA), said they sought a meeting with Querol to discuss the rising cases of robbery inside buses, FX taxis and passenger jeepneys.

During the meeting, Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., NCRPO intelligence chief, reported that a total of 49 robbery-holdup cases were recorded in Metro Manila from Jan. 1 to July 31 this year.

Eight of the cases were committed on buses, 28 on passenger jeepneys, 12 on FX taxis and one at the MRT/LRT.

Of the incidents, 24 cases took place in the jurisdiction of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), 11 and six at the Southern Police District (SPD) and Manila Police District (MPD), respectively. The Eastern and Northern Police Districts recorded four cases each.

The bus marshal program was fully implemented by Querol’s predecessor, Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr., during his tenure.

Querol admitted that the campaign against robbery syndicates took a backseat as the NCRPO focused on securing President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the daily rallies staged by opposition and militant groups.

"But now that the situation in Metro Manila has stabilized, we will concentrate on the problem until it is resolved," said Querol.

In the same meeting, transport operators also agreed to cooperate with Querol in dealing with the problem of terrorism by sending their drivers and conductors to attend bomb threats and bomb spotting seminars.

Jessie Santos, representing a group of bus operators, noted that the Valentine’s Day bombing could have been prevented had the conductor of the bus reported to authorities the presence of the suspects.

"The conductor noticed the suspects acting suspiciously, but failed to alert authorities," said Santos.

The blast killed four and wounded scores of bus passengers.

The two bombing suspects were arrested and the bus conductor positively identified them during a confrontation at Camp Aguinaldo

For his part, Rojas reminded transport groups that the NCRPO has also heightened its campaign against erring and abusive cops.

"All you have to do is to coordinate with my office and we will be too willing to have these extort cops arrested and charged in court," Rojas said.