PNP to crack down on water pilferage as El Niño looms

File photo by KATHERINE G. ADRANEDA / INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will be on the lookout for pilferage of water from fire hydrants and main water lines to assist the government combat possible water shortages caused by the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

“The police force will intensify its efforts in combating pilferage; we can help water companies in the conduct of the investigation, but definitely, as an organization, we have a policy in energy and water conservation. We are reminding our personnel of that,” PNP chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr. said in a press briefing on Monday.

According to the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) latest bulletin, the dry spell’s damage to the crop sector has jumped from P151.3 million to P357.4 million as of February 24, 2024.

It added that the El Niño phenomenon affected 7,668 farmers in the Ilocos, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula regions.

To mitigate its effects and prevent landslides, Acorda said he already instructed all PNP regional offices, especially those with mining areas to watch out for irresponsible mining activities and apprehend those who do not have the proper papers to operate.

“The DO (Directorate for Operations) and I already talked about running after this kind of operations, especially on illegal logging, which might have been contributing to our problem in El Niño,” Acorda said.