Eleazar: Improved peace and order due war on drugs, crime
THE country’s improved peace and order situation over the past five years can be attributed to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for them to wage a stepped-up crime versus drugs and other forms of criminality, Philippine National Police chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said.
“Sa kabila ng mga kritisismo at sari-saring alegasyon, hindi maipag-kakaila na mas gumanda ang peace and order situation sa ating bansa. Hindi ito sabi-sabi o gawa-gawa lamang dahil ang inyong PNP ay may mga datos na nagpapakitang mahigit sa 60 porsyento ang ibinababa ng krimen sa nakalipas na limang taon,” he said.
“Ito naman ang ipinangako ng ating Pangulong Duterte noon at natutuwa kami na naging kabahagi kami at hindi namin binigo ang taumbayan dito. But there is no room for complacency so on the part of the PNP, we will remain focus on our mandate of further improving what we have already improved dahil tayo namang lahat ang makikinabang dito,” he added.
Gen. Eleazar said that while there are other factors that contribute to the significant decrease in crime in the past five years, nobody can deny that the aggressive campaign against illegal drugs played a key role in it.
“Ang iligal na droga ang karaniwang ugat ng iba pang krimen kaya’t noong pinaigting ang kampanya laban dito ay mas naging ligtas ang ating mga komunidad at napawi ang pangamba ng ating mga kababayan na sila’y mabiktima ng mga kriminal,” he pointed out.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año said the peace and order situation in the country has improved under the present administration.
The DILG chief noted a lower crime volume in the first semester of 2021 compared to the record in the second semester of 2016, the year when President Duterte assumed the presidency.
Gen. Eleazar said the administration has been fully supportive to the police organization.
“The government’s full support to the PNP’s modernization program has enabled the police organization to procure assets to further boost our capability in our anti-criminality operations which is aimed at better serving and protecting the public,” he explained.
“Tumaas din ang sweldo ng mga pulis sa ilalim ng administrasyong ito kaya naman dumoble rin ang effort ng aming hanay na siguraduhin ang kaayusan at kapayapaan sa ating mga komunidad,” he stressed while adding that police would continue to sustain its gains against criminality and continue to keep the communities safe.
