No need for police to go on full alert in ‘ber months’ — Albayalde

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said there is no need to declare a full alert status for the police during the so-called “ber months” from September to December.

Albayalde stressed this to reporters in a briefing on Wednesday as the month of September signals the coming of the holiday season in the Philippines.

“Hindi naman na kailangan kasi over the past two, three years, hindi na natin nakita ‘yung tumataas ‘yung [crime] (There is no need because over the past two, three years, we did not see the increase in crimes),” he said.

In the past, the PNP declared a full alert status during “ber months” as some criminals took advantage of the season to commit illegal activities.

However, Albayalde, said the crime rate in the country has gone down since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office.

“In fact, magmula noong 2016 nang pag-upo ng ating Pangulo, pababa naman nang pababa yung crime volume natin, especially sa crime against properties,” Albayalde said.

(In fact, starting 2016, when our President assumed his seat, the crime volume has decreased continuously, especially in terms of crimes against properties.)

PNP Spokesperson Senior Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. earlier said the crime rate in the country went down by one percentage point from 7.6 percent in January to June 2017 to 6.6 percent in the same period in 2018.   /vvp

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