(File photo)
MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the organization continues to “upscale” its investigation capabilities through retraining programs to provide the public with the “most credible service.”
“This retraining program is a reinforcement to better capacitate our personnel and to boost their morale despite the extensive requirements in filing cases in the judiciary,” Azurin said in a statement on Saturday.
He said 4,326 personnel had graduated under a recapitulation program for case handling in 2021 while training for some 16,000 investigators and evidence custodians is underway.
Azurin expressed hope that the low conviction rate for drug cases won’t falter PNP’s keen resolve to continue the fight against drug trafficking and abuses.
“Let us not be discouraged because we continue to upscale our capabilities. My mandate is to make sure to always strictly follow the proper procedure in conducting operations and collating pieces of evidence for the court to appreciate," Azurin said.
He also assured the public that the organization maintains zero tolerance for abuses and irregularities committed by wayward personnel.
“We always strive to provide the most credible service to the general public. Their confidence is the bastion of our duty to fight against injustices and eradicate criminality. Thus, for this to happen, we have to ensure that we possess the value of trustworthy law enforcers,” Azurin said.
Azurin said the PNP recognizes the contribution of honest and dedicated police officers but condemns those who tarnish the good reputation of the organization.
Meanwhile, he added that the PNP is keeping an eye on the incidents of crime against women involving students.
According to the PNP data, 149 crimes of this nature were recorded nationwide from July 1 to Aug. 31, 2022.
The majority of these are rape cases mostly from the National Capital Region (NCR). Other prevalent reported cases were acts of lasciviousness and violation of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004.
“Our intention is not to create panic but we caution the students to always be vigilant around their environment. When their parents tell them not to trust strangers, the children must take this seriously,” Azurin said.
With this, Azurin assured the public that there is a consistent police presence to deter criminals from preying on victims, especially in crime-prone areas.
“There is also strong coordination between the education department and the PNP to work hand-in-hand in ensuring the safety of the children. Now that classes are returning to the in-person setup, there is a greater challenge for the police officers to monitor closely the vicinity around learning institutions,” Azurin said.
He also committed to resolving the cases reported to the different police stations and units. (with Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA)
