Roxas lauds police, thanks their families for support

MANILA, Philippines—Interior Secretary Mar Roxas lauded not only the members of the Philippine National Police, but also their spouses and children for understanding the “abnormal life” of law enforcers during the New Year’s Call on Wednesday.

As police chief Director General Alan Purisima is suspended, Roxas stood in for him at the New Year’s Call for the PNP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Fire Protection.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The event is held annually and attended by top police officers and their spouses to render a courtesy call on their immediate superiors.

“For the sacrifices of the PNP; for all the long hours that your husbands are not home; for all the weekends that you had to give up; for all the holidays unlike other families, your husbands are on red alert and have to be on duty; for all those times when life was abnormal for you and for your families because of the chosen work of your husbands and wives. On behalf of a grateful nation, I thank you, let’s continue our job. Let’s keep the Philippines safe,” Roxas said.

Despite criticisms against the 150,000-strong PNP for the spike in number of crime incidents in the country, the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government said he was “very, very proud and very, very pleased” with the PNP’s performance.

Roxas also recognized certain PNP officials for making “Operation Plan Lambat Sibat” a successful program.

The Oplan Lambat Sibat, which Roxas calls the PNP’s scientific approach on anticriminality, had contributed in the drop in crime incidents in the country.

From the average 1,000 incidents per week in 2014, including incidents of robbery, theft, car and motorcycle theft, it was reduced to 500 a week.

“This is not empty rhetoric. We can see that in the statistics,” Roxas said.

Among those he cited were National Capital Region Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria, Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management Director Francisco Montenegro, Directorate for Operations Director Ricardo Marquez, Directorate for Intelligence Director Charles Calima and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Benjamin Magalong.

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