High-profile slays alarm President, says Coloma

MANILA, Philippines–In the wake of high-profile murders, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma on Monday said President Aquino was taking seriously all aspects of crime prevention and law enforcement.

Coloma said the high-profile crimes should prompt law enforcement authorities to intensify their crime prevention efforts.

“And one of the principles in crime prevention is getting the support of the citizenry in terms of police community cooperation because crimes take place in our communities,” he said.

Coloma was responding to a query about what the government, particularly the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine National Police, was doing to prevent criminal activities.

Hotel chain owner Richard King and race car driver Enzo Pastor were gunned down in separate incidents in Davao City and Quezon City, respectively, on Independence Day. Five days earlier, gunmen killed a Pangasinan town mayor on the eve of his wedding anniversary.

Coloma said the President was taking a hands-on attitude toward crime and police matters.

“I have been with him on several occasions where I have actually witnessed him calling up a particular officer to inquire about an incident report or to make sure that a report on a serious crime is being handled properly and with utmost urgency,” he said.

On June 12, the 57-year-old King, who owned the Crown Regency chain of hotels and resorts, was shot dead in his office in Davao City. That same night, Pastor was killed on the corner of Visayas and Congressional Avenues in Quezon City on his way to the Clark International Speedway.

On June 7, Mayor Ernesto Balolong Jr. of Urbiztondo town, Pangasinan province, was shot 27 times by two armed men. The President later attended the wake of Balolong, who was a member of the ruling Liberal Party.

At Monday’s Palace media briefing, a reporter asked Coloma about what Interior Secretary Mar Roxas had been doing to prevent crime under his watch. The PNP is under the supervision of Roxas.

“What can the public expect from the PNP now? Or perhaps the interior secretary is now busy with politics?” Coloma was told. Roxas is the presumptive standard-bearer of the ruling party in the 2016 presidential election.

“All crimes that take place in our country have to be solved. All steps should be taken by the national police and [other] law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of our people and give them peace of mind,” Coloma replied.

Coloma acknowledged a reporter’s suggestion that the President consider appointing to law enforcement positions officials who really understand the job, including police operations.

“We can be assured that the President considers the things that you have mentioned, especially our law enforcement authorities’ level of capability or skill in performing their duties,” he replied.

Originally posted: 6:32 pm | Monday, June 16th, 2014

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