PNP eyes revival of China help desks

The Philippine National Police plans to revive police help desks that would focus on crimes involving Chinese nationals in the country. In a statement, the PNP said the “China desk” would “address concerns on the protection of overseas Chinese nationals and organizations.” Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the PNP, clarified on Friday that the China desks would not be the same “Chinese help desks” set up early last year, which drew public flak for giving special treatment to Chinese nationals. “There would be no physical desks in police stations [specifically attending to complaints of Chinese nationals],” he said. Instead, the PNP would put up a special concern help desk for Chinese based at the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group office in its headquarters in Camp Crame. Other China desks would also be set up in areas where there is a large concentration of Chinese nationals. The China desk would help the PNP in its investigation, he said. —Dexter Cabalza