Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has given the green light for a program to revamp the Manila Police District, which includes abolishing some units and reducing the number of personnel in other units.
Retired police colonel Felicisimo Lazaro, Lim’s adviser on police affairs, has submitted to Lim a list of concerns and recommendations.
In his handwritten marginal note, Lim categorized the recommendations as urgent and directed MPD director Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa to immediately implement the proposed changes.
Abarzosa said the MPD command group has jointly and unanimously approved Lazaro’s recommendations and “is now in the process of implementing the rules.”
One of Lazaro’s recommendations is the abolition of the district’s Detective Beat Patrol unit, the Task Force Galugad and the precincts’ anti-crime units.
Lazaro, a decorated former Manila police official, said the three units have overlapping functions and their personnel can augment the undermanned patrol and investigation units of the MPD.
“During my time detectives or sekretas were the core group of the Manila’s Finest responsible for the solution of high-profile crimes. Now I have not seen any sekreta who had solved a major crime. The name sekreta is a misnomer,” Lazaro noted.
According to Lazaro, the Manila City Hall’s Special Operations Group (SOG) is overstaffed by more than 100 policemen, while the MPD’s directorial staff and its support units has 300 non-performing policemen.
He said personnel should be taken from these units and designated as beat patrols to increase police visibility in the streets.
Lazaro also said daily roll call formation will be revived to discourage “15-30” policemen, or those who report only during paydays.
The already forgotten officer’s notebook or tickler will once again form part of the police paraphernalia, according to Lazaro, who said “these notebooks will authenticate whether the police are on their beat.”
He also said the MPD will now have a depository for evidence and recovered vehicle. The theft and robbery, homicide and general assignment sections shall also be provided with a service vehicle each for prompt public service.
Lazaro said that with the full support given him by Lim, he pledged to deliver by December a Manila police force relevant to the vision of the new Manila mayor. – Nestor Etolle