EDITORIAL – Stamping out criminality really needs tough police approach

What are the most effective ways to combat the rising criminality in a locality? The answer simply lies in the intensified and thorough campaign by the authorities with the help, of course, of the community.

Such approach has been proven effective by elements of the Cebu provincial police when they scored big in a series of sweeping operations against lawless elements in the province.

In less than 72 hours, at least five suspected criminals were killed while more than a dozen others were arrested in successive anti-crime campaigns in three southern towns the past few days.

Last Saturday, three suspected robbers were killed while 10 others were arrested in an encounter with policemen in the towns of Alcoy and Dalaguete. Police claimed the subjects were responsible for the series of robberies and murders in those areas.

Then, on Monday, another two suspected robbers were killed when they and their companions engaged in a shootout with pursuing policemen in Boljoon town. The encounter also left the town police chief injured.

For their successful campaign, it's just natural for us to congratulate the police. While they deserve public commendation, what they seriously need is the support from the community itself.

We all know that no anti-crime campaign would be successful without the help from the people themselves. So there's really a need for the police and the community to work together if we want to preserve peace and order.

The police operations in the south were highly successful largely due to public cooperation. The one in Boljoon, for example, was implemented following report from a concerned citizen about a group of unidentified armed men staying at a house. Those men turned out to be the remnants of known criminals the police earlier engaged in a shootout in Dalaguete and Alcoy.

Now it is our hope that police will have more success as they heighten the drive against crimes across the province. Based on their success the past days, we all know that stamping out criminality really needs tough approach and serious community participation.