DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos Jr. on Monday ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to intensify its anti-criminality campaign further nationwide to help “clean” the streets of criminals.

“All streets must be free of crimes,” he told top PNP officers led by Lieutenant General Vicente D. Danao Jr. during the flag-raising rites at Camp Crame, where he was the guest of honor and speaker.

The DILG chief said he also wants the “inter-connectivity” of all CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera systems in Metro Manila and other urban parts of the country, which would be vital in every police effort to prevent and solve a crime.

“There are so many CCTV units everywhere. We just need an app to connect with everyone,” he said.

A former long-time Mandaluyong City mayor, Sec. Abalos has advised local chief executives in the country to “emulate” what he did during his mayoralty days: Enhance police presence and lower the rate of street crimes.

Effective police visibility, he said, would result in less criminality and the presence of firearms and other deadly weapons as criminals are always afraid of uniformed and plainclothes policemen that are always ready to arrest them.

Maximum police visibility has been known as a very effective deterrent in the commission and solution of crimes in the country.

A very good example of police visibility took place in Timog Avenue in Quezon City last Sunday morning – Q.C. Police District Director Brig. Gen. Remus B. Medina said that patrolling members of the QCPD Station 10 arrested a 47-year-old man and his 25-year-old son after they created trouble outside a Timog resto-bar and fired a gun indiscriminately.

It turned out that the suspects got irked due to a parking problem and fired shots in the air triggering panic in the area. However, they were arrested immediately by patrolling QCPD Station 10 officers in the area.

An unlicensed caliber .38 was recovered from the suspects who tried even to hide the weapon in their wagon’s engine compartment. Both suspects are now facing charges for alarm and scandal and violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013.

The DILG chief issued his instructions as the PNP leadership assured President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. of a more “tougher” campaign against criminality, specifically illegal drugs and terror, and corruption in the next six years.

In particular, Lt. Gen. Danao has vowed that under the Marcos administration, they would continue a more aggressive crackdown on illegal drug trafficking and the drug supply and drug reduction programs of the police force.

The PNP has been active in its peace and order campaign, especially its anti-illegal drugs initiatives, which has led to more than P88.83-billion worth of confiscated drugs, shabu, controlled precursors, and essential chemical, and laboratory equipment from July 2016 to March 2022.

The DILG said that in the course of six years under the Duterte administration, 336,796 individuals linked to illegal drugs were arrested through more than 230,000 anti-illegal drug operations conducted nationwide. Among these, 14,888 high-value targets were likewise imprisoned.

The PNP crime reduction measures were likewise evident during the previous Duterte administration as crimes against persons such as murder, homicide, and physical injury, together with crimes against properties such as robbery, theft, and carnapping, have seen a significant “decline” in the past six years, the DILG said.

Based on PNP data, from more than 6,000 cases in July 2016, murders committed in the country have slimmed down to 983 as of March 2022, with physical injury tallying 1,172 cases, a huge decline compared to its 2016 data of 17,988. Robbery cases also decreased to 1,240 from 9,413 cases in July 2016.

The crime volume also witnessed a steady decline in the past six years, leading to 49,383 in March 2022 compared to 292,589 in July 2016 when President Rodrigo Duterte assumed leadership of the country.