Hotline ‘911’ now active; PNP to arrest prank callers

Making good on its promise, the Philippine National Police activated the nationwide 911 hotline on the first day of August.

PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, together with Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, announced the activation in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday.

“Exactly one month since my assumption as chief PNP, we now have 911 as the nationwide emergency response number,” Dela Rosa said.

At the same time, the tough-talking police chief issued a warning to prank callers that the police would track them down and arrest them.

As of 12:01 a.m., the PNP monitoring center manned by 45 agents recorded 2,475 calls. Of that number, only 75 were legitimate.

At total of 304 were pranks while 1,119 were dropped calls.

Dela Rosa said that, for the meantime, the initial responders would be PNP members only.

He said the entire PNP, its 18 regional offices, 85 provincial officials, 1,100 city police offices and five police districts in Metro Manila, have been alerted and will address emergency concerns in their areas relayed through the hotline./rga