PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. has ordered his men to check bars, computer shops, billiard halls and other commercial establishments located near schools and universities to ensure they won’t be violating ordinances enacted to protect the students amid the formal opening of School Year 2022-2023 on Monday.

The top cop said it is a routine duty of the police force to strictly enforce all ordinances aimed at keeping the streets and the community safe, thus the need for his men to see to it that possible violations that may be committed by any of the above-named establishments are immediately checked.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, Brigadier Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo has relayed the PNP chief’s instruction to all five Metro Manila police districts. He also ordered the strict implementation of four simple barangay ordinances in Metro Manila as ordered by Gen. Azurin.

These are the following: Walang inuman sa kanto. Walang nambabastos sa mga kababaihan. Walang mandurukot. Walang maingay sa mga kabahayan pagkalipas ng alas-diyes ng gabi.”

Azurin said he has ordered the Metro Manila police force and the 16 other police regional offices to strictly implement ordinances approved by local government units as they go all-out to keep the streets safe 24/7.

The member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Makatao’ Class 1989 who was appointed by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. to be the country’s 28th PNP chief has ordered all PNP commanders to fully enforce all city, municipal and barangay ordinances in their areas which were all designed to keep peace and help prevent trouble and criminality.

For one, he said that police must strictly enforce curfew hours for minors, the ban on drinking in public and playing of karaoke or videoke machines past 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. which are already ordinances long approved by different city, municipal and barangay councils.

He also ordered police across the country to regularly check beer joints, billiard halls, computer shops and other suspected vice joints located near schools and universities amid complaints that they have been serving as a beehive of activities of students cutting classes and in some instances, as a haven of petty thieves.

The routine inspection will not take place only in commercial establishments located near the ‘Big Four’ universities: University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University but elsewhere in the country including in schools and universities located near the so-called ‘Manila’s University-Belt Area where there have been previous complaints about the presence of illegal drug activities, armed gangs and fraternities who pose serious threats to students.

However, police have been instructed to ensure that they will observe utmost courtesy at all times to the public during their routine inspection trips.

The inspection trips are also part of PNP’s ‘Oplan Bakal’ aimed at arresting the presence of loose firearms and other deadly weapons inside establishments that sell liquor like bars being frequented even by students.

“It’s part of our crime prevention measures. Minsan hindi kasi sapat ’yung pagche-check ng security guards so may nakakalusot na contraband,” said Estomo.

The NCRPO chief said these gun checks must be always coordinated with owners of establishments they plan to inspect. In many cases, security guards of these establishments are the ones secretly calling the police to check the presence of suspicious-looking clients specifically those believed to be carrying guns.

“Nakikipag-coordinate kami sa establishments, hindi kami basta-basta pumapasok. Minsan, ’yung owners pa ’yung tumatawag sa amin to do inspections,” he said. The official said the anti-crime prevention measures are coordinated with barangay and school authorities during consultative meetings.

The Journal Group learned that police regional directors have asked all their ground commanders to coordinate with concerned local government units their strict implementation of the zoning ordinance prohibiting the existence of computer shops, billiards establishments and other distractive recreation facilities including those serving liquor and selling cigarettes within the immediate vicinities of schools.

“We are doing all of this to ensure the safety and security of the students which is one of our primordial concerns,” said PNP Public Information Office chief, Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus B. Alba.

The PNP leadership has also called on students to stay away from all forms of vices and concentrate on their studies.

Officials have also asked police precinct commanders to recommend the closure of establishments found violating city and municipal ordinances pertaining to non-sale of liquors and cigarettes to students and minors particularly in school vicinities.

Police have also been orderd to strictly implement curfew hours for minors with corresponding penalties for the parents and guardians of the violators since it will prevent the presence of fraternity or gang wars involving children in conflict with law.

In some parts of Metro Manila, one main problem of authorities is the presence of CICLs who fight it out in the streets while armed with rocks, bottles, slingshots and other improvised weapons including home-made guns.

Some have been killed or maimed while many properties have been damaged as a result of these gang wars.

Strict enforcement of ordinances banning drinking of liquor in public places, including ‘bangketas, eskinitas or tapat ng bahay,” according to Azurin must also be the job of the territorial police force and barangay authorities.

He explained that in many cases, presence of drunkards, shirtless men in the streets trigger little trouble which may erupt into much bigger ones specifically when these ordinance violators begin fighting each other or show rude behavior to young girls or women passing near them.

Azurin also emphasized the need for the police to coordinate with barangay authorities their effort to respond to calls to stop loud videoke or karaoke music way past 10 in the evening, the wailing sounds of the singers who are mostly engaged in drinking sessions becoming a nuisance to their neighbors who are already sleeping since they have to go to work or school the next morning or in many cases, couples with newborn babies.