PRESIDENT Bongbong Marcos Jr. is extremely happy with the performance of the 232,000-strong Philippine National Police headed by General Rommel Marbil that he has decided to grant a P20,000 bonus to qualified PNP personnel this Christmas, I learned yesterday.

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Although the Service Recognition Incentive or SRI will also go to other qualified government employees this year in recognition of their hard work, it should be noted that the PNP, despite being the subject of never-ending controversies, continue to be the a top achiever of the Marcos administration.

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And just like the proverbial Phoenix, it continues to rise up from the ashes—or the scandals and other controversies brought about by some of its erring officers and men—to really perform its duty ‘to serve and protect’ Filipinos 24/7, all accomplishments which greatly elated the Chief Executive.

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Take note that Year 2024 will end with the PNP going up against all odds to do the inevitable like capturing some of the country’s most famous fugitives led by the self-proclaimed ‘Anointed Son of God’ Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, making huge accomplishments in the war on drugs with less shots being fired and greatly reducing the crime volume.

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The national police force has also scored big in the campaign against illegal drug use and abuse as it has already led the clearing of more than 29,000 barangays of drug influence and are going all-out, along with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in clearing the remaining ‘drug-influence’ barangays next year.

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I learned that last Thursday, PBBM commended Gen. Marbil and his men for their big success in the crackdown against loose firearms and told the force to keep up the good work as more confiscated illegal guns mean less gun-related violence in the streets particularly during the Yuletide Season and the 2025 mid-term polls.

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The Commander-in-Chief also lauded the PNP and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission for a good job in dismantling illegal POGO facilities in the country amid his December 15 deadline and called for an honest-to-goodness monitoring of guerrilla POGO operators that may use gated subdivisions, small communities and even far-flung parts of the country to continue their illicit operations.

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The PNP and PAOCC pressure on these guerrilla POGO operations has been seen as a major contributory factor to the reduction in the number of cyber-related incidents nationwide, the President was told.

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PBBM was also informed by Gen. Marbil and DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla that the government is making good progress when it comes to addressing internal security threats particularly those posed by the New People’s Army and other local terrorist groups in the countryside.

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This was the result of the barangay development programs which has prompted many former ‘Enemies of the State’ to surrender and avail of the system that will enable them to return to the mainstream of the society and feed for their families.

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However, the President called on a ‘whole-of-nation’ approach, one involving the PNP, the Armed Forces, local government units and other stakeholders in further reducing the country’s crime volume.

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He noted that although focus crimes went down significantly all over the country this year, there has been a noted increase in the number of homicide cases which Gen. Marbil explained was mainly triggered by killings arising from personal grudges and drunken brawls.

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This, the President said should prompt local police and barangay officials to act before it’s too late, meaning they should be on the watch for groups of men in drinking sessions and remind them to never over-drink and refrain from creating trouble once already drunk.

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The Chief Executive also wants the DILG 9-11 emergency hotline to be implemented nationwide so that it could be used by all Filipinos, not only in Metro Manila. He also raised his concern over growing cases of child abuse, particularly online child sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

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Although there has been a big number of PNP ‘success stories’ when it comes to fighting online sex predators and saving our children, the President said there is a need for the PNP to keep up, as they say with the Joneses, by training more of its personnel to fight ever-growing modus operandi which leads to even more horrible cases.

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PBBM also cited the PNP’s 2024-2028 new anti-drug campaign developed by the PNP Drug Enforcement Group headed by Brigadier Gen. Ely Matta and approved by Gen. Marbil. He particularly praised the PNP health and social development initiatives to help drug personalities who have served their jail term or are already reformed to have an alternate livelihood program that will care for them and their families.

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The new tact is anchored on the protection of human rights through a focused drug rehabilitation program while going all-out against the drug chain, a complete turnaround from the ‘bloody war on drugs’ by the former Duterte administration.

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Gen. Marbil also presented their operational accomplishments against illegal drugs, gambling, loose firearms and other related crimes even as he reported a big reduction in cyber-related crimes during the National Peace and Order and Regional POC meetings and PNP Command Conference at Camp Crame presided by PBBM.

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I was told that the President’s final guidance for the PNP leadership is to make sure that they will really hit the source of illegal drugs in the country. He congratulated Gen. Marbil and his men for accounting for some P20 billion worth of shabu and other illegal substance this year although he said he wants the police force to catch more ‘Big Fishes’ and haul their supply next year.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon