By Leslie D. Venzon
MANILA, Sept. 4 (PNA) — Malacanang on Thursday said the Philippine National Police (PNP) is intensifying its crime prevention efforts to ensure public safety.
Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. bared this measure after the PNP reported that the number of kidnap-for-ransom cases as of August this year rose slightly to 38 from 31 during the same period last year.
“The PNP is exerting all efforts to crack down on the criminal elements behind these kidnapping-for-ransom cases,” he said in a Palace press briefing.
Coloma said Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, PNP Chief Director General Alan Purisima and representatives of the local Filipino-Chinese community and other civil society groups on Wednesday discussed the concerns about incidence of crime.
“…These incidents or these crimes must be stopped immediately and that is what the PNP is working on now,” he said.
The PCOO chief also underscored the need for police authorities to intensify intelligence and surveillance efforts.
“Hindi kinakailangang magpinta tayo ng larawan ng ligalig dahil ang sitwasyon naman ay masasabi nating stable. The crime situation is well under the control of the police authorities,” he said. (PNA)