THE Philippine National Police (PNP) headed by General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. has expressed its commitment to strictly follow President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s approach in fighting illegal drug trafficking and abuse in the country.

President Marcos has said he will continue the law enforcement approach of the Duterte administration but in a ‘more focused away’.

“We will adjust. Let us adjust on focus. Let us also look at prevention. Educate our young people – that this is the end, this will get you to jail, this will kill you,” the Chief Executive said.

President Marcos added that the country likewise needs to have a program that will ensure the complete treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. “We need to be more sensitive and sympathetic to those who were caught up in this lifestyle,” he said.

According to the PNP leadership, the organization is learning the best method to pull the victims out of this culture and closely work with other agencies in the rehabilitation of identified drug users in every community.

“Tulong-tulong tayo para mailigtas mula sa pagkalugmok sa droga ang ating mga kababayan. While we ensure that there is extensive operations against major drug dealers, we also would like to look at this approach in a holistic manner,” said Azurin.

President Marcos has underscored the importance of going after key drug players to be able to make an actual difference. In turn, the PNP leadership said it has ordered a massive operation to identify and arrest the so-called ‘big fishes’ in the illegal drug trafficking business, specifically those involved in the large-scale smuggling and distribution or production of shabu and other prohibited drugs in the country.

Azurin said they are hell-bent on making a huge dent on the illegal drug trade in the country by really going after the so-called ‘big fishes’ in order to halt their illicit activities. This, he explained could be done thru the conduct of more intelligence-driven police operations in which police

The top cop earlier said that during the 1st 90-days of PBBM, they have accounted for 14,737 known drug personalities and an estimated P1.95 billion worth of shabu and marijuana.

According to the PNP chief, the drug arrests and seizures were made by his men as a result of 2,309 anti-narcotics operations across the country conducted from July 1 to September 27 this year. During the same period, a total of 28 armed drug offenders were killed in gunfights with undercover officers who tried to arrest them in buy-bust operations and service of search warrants.

Azurin said that notable of the PNP accomplishment during the period is the seizure of nearly 203 kilograms of high-grade shabu and over 365 kilos of dried marijuana leaves which could have flooded the streets of Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Police also uprooted and destroyed over 2.6 million pieces of fully-grown marijuana plants and seedlings in the countryside during the period,

The police force, spearheaded by the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) headed by Brigadier Gen. Narciso D. Domingo and the 17 other Police Regional Offices led by the National Capital Region Police Office under Brig. Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo made the significant anti-drug accomplishments.

CRIME DOWN AMID IMPROVED POLICE VISIBILITY, CAMPAIGN VS DRUGS

Over the past week, a quick look on the crime environment based on crime incidents collated from the 17 Police Regional Offices from September 17-17 and September 18-23 this year, showed a major reduction in the country’s crime volume.

Overall, the PNP noted that Peace and Order Indicator (POI) went down by 2,515 or 49.47 percent from 5,084 compared to 2,569 in the previous period.

The PNP also noted a reduction nationwide in POI or 50.86 percent in Luzon; Visayas by 55.30 percent and Mindanao by 40.53 percent.

Similarly, the Index Crimes went down by 153 or 29.20 percent from 524 compared to 371. Index Crimes decreased in Luzon by 28.39 percent; Visayas by 31.86 percent; and Mindanao by 28.72 percent.

Significantly, an overall decrease of 151 or 29.04 percent was posted comparing the same period for focus crimes. Apparent is the decrease nationwide: Luzon by 28.03 percent; Visayas by 31.25 percent; and Mindanao by 29.79 percent.

Overall, it is notable that Non-Index Crimes went down by 2,362 or 51.80 percent from 4,560 to 2,198. Apparent is the decrease of Non-Index nationwide: Luzon by 53.73 percent Visayas by 57.92 percent; and Mindanao by 41.57 percent.

Azurin said that there has been a significant, steady decline in crime volume in the country since 2010 amid a much-improved anti-criminality program by the PNP which has also greatly improved its ‘move, shoot, communicate and investigate’ equipment to prevent and solve criminality 24/7.

The Journal Group learned the following comparative crime statistics gathered from police blotters nationwide during the 1st two months of the previous Benigno S. Aquino III and Rodrigo R. Duterte administrations and the 2-month old presidency of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr.

As gathered by the Crime Research Analysis Center of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, a total of 52,874 index and non-index crimes were recorded from July 1 to August 2010 or during the early days of the presidency of the late President Aquino.

“PNP crime data shows a steady decline in crime trends over a 12-year period since 2010,” the top cop said.

Azurin said that an analysis of the crime trend since 2010 shows that it is apparent that the POI or the sum of both Index and Non-Index Crimes in the country has been decreasing since the Aquino administration started in 2016.

Azurin said they are trying to better address these incidents by greatly improving their visibility in the streets and going all-out in the campaign against drugs, wanted persons and loose firearms and other deadly weapons that could be used to commit violence in the streets.