Policemen, soldiers to patrol Metro streets

MANILA, Philippines - To maintain peace and order in Metro Manila during the May elections, the National Capital Regional Police Office and its counterparts in the military deployed yesterday motorcycle-riding policemen and soldiers to patrol the streets of the metropolis.

The joint forces from the NCRPO and the National Capital Region Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines would jointly monitor politicians maintaining private armies and those violating the Philippine National Police (PNP) policy on two police and two security bodyguards. “They are also tasked to gather evidence against politicians with regard to violation of standing rules and regulations of the Commission on Elections and make arrests,” said NCRPO chief Director Roberto Rosales.

Rosales and NCRCom chief Admiral Feliciano Angue launched yesterday the project “Motorized Anti-Street Crimes Operatives” (MASCO) in the jurisdiction of the Southern Police District. The NCRPO and NCRCom will deploy the same number of MASCO operatives, who, according to Rosales will also be doing anti-crime duties and go after terrorists.

“They will also conduct checkpoint operations to make hard for politicians to move around in the company of unauthorized police and security officers,” said Rosales.

So far, there is no report of politicians maintaining private armies in Metro Manila, Rosales said. He said the seven cities tagged as areas of concern will be prioritized in the patrol operations of MASCO operatives.