Philippine National Police chief General Rodolfo Azurin leads a 10-man delegation to the 24th Asian Regional Conference of the International Criminal Police Organization General Secretariat in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from February 6 to 11. Courtesy of PN
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. led a 10-man team to the 24th Asian Regional Conference of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) General Secretariat in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The conference will run from February 6 to 11.
“I am honored to lead the Philippine delegation to this important event and be a part of the discussion on how we can further improve our efforts to combat the most pressing crime-related issues facing our region, including human trafficking, cybercrime, financial crime, and terrorism,” Azurin said in a statement on Tuesday.
“As we celebrate Interpol’s centenary, it is more crucial than ever that we come together to strengthen our collaboration and global efforts against transnational crimes. The Philippines is committed to playing its part in achieving this goal,” he continued.
Joining Azurin in the conference are Police Major Generals Bernard Banac, Eliseo Cruz, Benjamin Acorda Jr., Emmanuel Peralta, Jesus Cambay Jr., Valeriano De Leon, and Police Colonels Redrico Maranan and Reynante Bastian.
Senior law enforcement officials from Interpol member nations will gather at the conference, which meets every two years, to discuss and decide how to advance law enforcement action.
The conference’s agenda includes talks on operational cooperation, enhancing policing capabilities, and priority crime areas.
On the second day of the conference, Azurin will discuss the Philippines’ response to the problems caused by migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
The country leads the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Senior Officials Meeting in Transnational Crime (SOMTC) Working Group on Trafficking in Persons, a permanent mechanism for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the Asean Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, particularly women and children.
Along with evaluating police collaboration and global efforts to combat cross-border crimes, the conference agenda includes discussions on operational cooperation, improving policing capacities, and priority crime regions with an emphasis on drug trafficking and counterterrorism.
“I look forward to sharing our country’s experiences and learn from our international counterparts as we strive to make our communities safer and more secure,” Azurin noted.
Interpol’s dedication to preventing crime and advancing justice, the chief said, is demonstrated by the conference in which the PNP is honored to support the cause.
– Kimberly D. Albaño, INQUIRER.net intern