Station chiefs to resign if they can't solve crime problem

MANILA, Philippines - The commanders of 21 police stations and precincts whose areas of jurisdiction were identified as “crime-prone” have agreed to relinquish their post if they fail to curb crime rates in one month.

They arrived at a “gentleman’s agreement” during a meeting last week at the National Capital Region Police Office in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. The meeting was presided by Chief Superintendent Juanito Vaño, the NCRPO’s deputy regional director for operations.

Insiders said it is an open secret that majority of station and precinct commanders are protégés of local government officials and their continued stay in their post, despite being “deadwood,” embarrasses NCRPO officials.

NCRPO chief Director Alan Purisima ordered the station and precinct commanders to curb crimes in their jurisdiction in one month or be relieved after the region recorded 15,257 crimes for the second quarter of the year, up by 9.18 percent from 13,974 crimes in the first three months of 2012.