Be vigilant, watchful, Metro police chief tells dentists

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Tuesday advised dentists to be vigilant and extra watchful when dealing with patients following the recent spate of robberies at dental clinics in Metro Manila.

“Business establishments like dental clinics are more of personal offices. Usually they hire their own security guards who … are trained in profiling or conducting [a check of] people who come to their clinics,” said NCRPO director Chief Supt. Alan Purisima.

Asked about the possibility of beefing up their presence in these establishments, Purisima said that policemen were generally deployed to secure general areas.

“And besides, we don’t want to dictate [on] dentists how they should run their businesses,” he added.

But he urged dentists to be watchful when dealing with their patients.

“Usually when it comes to people with bad intentions, they act strangely before they strike. They keep looking and moving around and cannot keep still. [Dentists] should be alert and be observant,” Purisima said.

He also encouraged victims to come forward and cooperate with authorities.

In Quezon City, police investigators have started an information drive targeting dentists in the area.

Senior Supt. Ranier Idio, operations chief of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Tuesday said that his men had started visiting dental clinics in the city to give tips to dentists on what they should do should the robber-rapist strike again.

According to Idio, the preventive measure was also part of their efforts to find those responsible for the robberies. Tina G. Santos and Nancy C. Carvajal