FILIPINOS should expect increased police presence in the coming days, as the government anticipates more crimes as the Christmas holidays near, the Philippine National Police said on Wednesday.
“We always anticipate an increase in crimes during ‘ber’ months,” national police chief Rodolfo S. Azurin, Jr. told a televised news briefing.
“We will be deploying mobile forces, even to the point of deploying Special Action Forces,” he added. “Our policemen need to be all over the place, specifically in crime-prone areas.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Azurin said crimes in the country have been decreasing.
The agency recorded about 29,630 crimes nationwide from Jul. 1 to Aug. 25, lower than the 35,237cases a year earlier.
He said police had served 12,699 warrants of arrest as of Aug. 31, resulting in the arrest of 4,035 people.
The agency has recorded four kidnapping cases, one of which involved Chinese citizens, Mr. Azurin said. Seven kidnapping cases were recorded last year, he said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza