PNP chief: Duterte promise just words

By: Jaymee T. Gamil - 9 years ago

Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Philippine National Police Director General Ricardo Marquez on Friday brushed off the possibility that crime and illegal drug menace can be stamped out in three to six months, as promised by presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

“Perhaps, those are only words,” Marquez told reporters in Filipino in a press briefing at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

“Even in the most advanced countries with the best police equipment… [illegal] drugs continue to [proliferate]. Crime will be a part of our lives,” Marquez, who has been in the police service for more than 40 years, said.

Marquez also expressed disapproval of extrajudicial killings as an acceptable means of dealing with criminals.

“It is important that the police understand their duties; that they do policing within the bounds of the law. The police can’t be executioners. That is against the core cause of police work, which is to serve and protect,” Marquez said.

Saying extrajudicial methods “never worked in the past,” Marquez mentioned in contrast the anticriminality campaign started by former Interior Secretary and Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas.

“Policing is also a science; a deliberate one. And this is the Lambat Sibat [program] started by Secretary Mar 23 months ago, and we can see the outcome, that our police have gotten better in addressing crimes,” Marquez said.

READ: Fewer ‘druggies’ in your area? Thank PNP’s ‘Lambat Sibat’

The PNP is under the supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

QC tops list

According to crime statistics presented to the media, Quezon City topped the list of the 15 chartered cities with the highest number of total index crimes from 2010 to 2015, with 65,514 incidents.

This was followed by Metro Manila’s capital Manila with 54,689 incidents; Cebu City with 38,797 incidents; Davao City with 37,684 incidents; and Cagayan de Oro with 31,345.

Baguio City came sixth with 27,090 incidents; followed by Zamboanga City with 20,736; Iloilo City with 19,560; General Santos with 17,882; Bacolod with 14,220; and Angeles with 11,980.

Makati was 12th on the list, with 10,897 incidents; followed by Iligan City with 11,074; Naga City with 10,971; and Mandaue City with 10,677.

Index crimes include crimes against persons, namely murder, homicide and physical injury, as well as crimes against property, namely robbery, theft and car theft.

The only index crime where Quezon City did not rank highest was murder. Davao City ranked highest at 1,032 recorded murders. Quezon City followed at 961 and Cebu City at 806.