South Korea to give PNP $6.6M worth of aid

The government of South Korea on Wednesday said that it will provide $6.6 million worth of aid to the Philippine National Police in order to enhance its criminal investigation capabilities.

The Korea International Agency (KOICA)'s grant covers the five-year period from 2016 to 2020 and includes the provision of investigation equipment and materials such as patrol vehicles, motorcycle bikes and investigation kits.

The recipients are the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), the National Capital Region Police Command Office (NCRPO), and the Police Regional Offices in Cordillera, Central Luzon, and Central Visayas.

The aid also covers the dispatch of Korean experts to the Philippines who will provide the necessary consultation services for the implementation of the project.

The major project sites will be in Metro Manila, and the cities of Davao, Cebu, Angeles, and Baguio.

Capacity- building for the Philippine officials and personnel will be conducted in order to "transfer practical knowledge and skills such as courses on high level officials, general investigation and internal affairs investigation, investigation of violent crimes, patrol and initial response, and forensic and cybercrime investigation."

A local workshop and joint workshops with international non-government organizations will also be held with the aim to stop crimes against women and children.

SK visitors and residents

The project was initiated upon the exchange of a note verbale between the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

A joint team from KOICA, the CIDG, and the Directorate for Logistics of the PNP has undergone a series of meetings since October 2014 in order to further evaluate the project.

Look: Signing of the Record of Discussions on the project on enhancing the criminal investigation capability of the PNP pic.twitter.com/TtH3u3Adqt

— Marlly Bondoc (@marllybondoc) July 12, 2017

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy, PNP chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines Kim Jae Shin, and KOICA Philippine office country director Shin Myung Seop were among those who signed the Record of Discussions on the project.

Korean ambassador Kim said that the signing enhances the cooperation in the area of peace and order between the two governments, and noted that many Koreans visit the Philippines every year.

"Currently, about one and half million Korean tourists visit the Philippines every year, which [puts] Koreans [in] first place among foreign visitors to this country for seven years in a row," he said.

In a news release on Wednesday, the Department of Tourism noted that South Koreans comprised the largest group of visitors to the country in the first half of 2017.

"Moreover, the number of Korean residents in the Philippines has arrived to about 90,000," Kim added.

Sympathy for Marawi

The ambassador also conveyed his condolences to the families of the government forces who were killed in the ongoing clashes in Marawi City.

"I would like to convey my deepest condolence to the families of the police and army who lost their family members in the conflict against the rebel group in Marawi. I hope the Philippine government can restore security and peace in Marawi as soon as possible," Kim said.

"The Korean government will continue to closely cooperate with the Philippines in such endeavor," he added.

Cuy, for his part, expressed his gratitude for the project, noting that this will strengthen the relationship between the two government.

"Our sincerest gratitude for initiating this project. I'm very positive on this outcome and it will help build a stronger and more efficient and effective police force as well as strengthen [the] relationship between the two governments," he said.

To the recipients of the aid, Cuy said, "[T]he only way to reciprocate the generosity of the Korean government is to take care and maintain the good working condition of the equipment and materials. Make use of the workshops and trainings they will provide and re-echo what you have acquired to your fellow policemen."

Cuy added that the aid will be "useful tools" in upgrading and developing the police organization and personnel.

"I'm also grateful that this project will capacitate our police officers not only on police operations but most especially on police investigations. The signing of the record of discussion will advance the implementation of this project and requires intensive coordination from the private management teams of the two governments," he said. — BM, GMA News