By Diana Tomale, Davao Today Intern
DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) would intensify its operations against illegal drugs to reduce the crime rate in the city this year.
DCPO spokesperson, Senior Inspector Milgrace Driz, told a press conference Wednesday, that police chief Vicente Danao, Jr. already directed renewed “Oplan TukHang” or Tuktok-Hangyo (Knock-Convince) this year starting in March.
“Ang una niyang (Danao) mando sa tanang DCPO, when we have conference last Monday, is to have Oplan TukHang ulit dun sa area ng Sta. Ana and the PS (Police Station) 2 also, San Pedro and Police Station 3. Kasi dun yung marami na na-assess natin sa Isumbong mo kay CD (During our conference last Monday Police chief Danao ordered all DCPO personnel to conduct Oplan TukHang in the areas of Sta. Ana, Police Station 2 (San Pedro) and Police Station 3 (Talomo). It is where we receive a lot of reports through Isumbong mo kay CD hotline),” Driz said.
The regional police office did not have records yet but said the overall crime volume in the region has declined.
“When we say crime volume it includes the index and non-index crimes,” PRO XI spokesman Superintendent Antonio Rivera said.
“I hope that the declining trend of our crime volume will continue this year,” he said.
“Nakikita naman natin ang root cause of evil is yung drugs. So we will fight against these illegal drugs as well as to intensify and strengthen our police preemptive and proactive measures in our area (We see drugs is the root cause of evil),” Driz said.
On Tuesday, San Pedro Police operatives arrested a Filipino-Chinese businessman, Allan Tee Yap, in a buy-bust operationalong Bonifacio Street. The police seized almost P400,000 worth of metamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu.
Driz said the DCPO has conducted 510 operations last year where 726 persons were arrested and 922 cases were filed.
These compared to the previous year’s 372 operations where 545 persons were arrested and 556 cases were filed.
According to the unit crime periodic report of the Performance Governance System (PGS) the crime solution efficiency in the city went up from 32.98 percent in 2013 to 55.97 percent last year.
Driz said the efficiency was brought about by the cooperation of stakeholders.
“Tumaas po ang crime solution efficiency natin ngayon because yung preemptive and proactive measures of the personnel of Davao City Police Office are very much appreciative for the cooperation of the stakeholders (Our crime solution efficiency increased because the preemptive and proactive measures of DCPO personnel is very much appreciative of the cooperation of stakeholders),” Driz said.
Police preemptive and proactive measures include checkpoints, chokepoints, police visibility, police presence as well as Oplan Sita and drug operations conducted by the DCPO last year, said Driz.
Driz also said that the city’s celebration of the holiday season remained peaceful and manageable. (davaotoday.com)
