Marcos: We are ‘truly effective when the community trusts our policemen’

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (File photo from KJ ROSALES/PPA POOL)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday told the Philippine National Police to embed themselves within the community they serve.

Marcos convened the first-ever Joint National Peace and Order Council and Regional Peace and Order Council in Malacañang.

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos and other top officials attended the meeting.

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“I think it is a very important lesson that despite all of the other things until satellite, until cyber, of course, we use it all. But in the end, you need to be part of the community,” Marcos said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“The only time [we are] truly effective is when the community trusts our policemen,” he pointed out.

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Marcos told the policemen to work the beat and to get to know the people around them.

Meanwhile, according to the Palace, the West Philippine Sea was also discussed during the meeting.

However, no information was given on the matter.