900 recruits to boost police presence in NCR's crime-prone areas

Some 900 new police recruits will be deployed early next month to areas in Metro Manila that have been identified as "crime-prone," Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said Thursday.

Roxas met with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Alan Purisima and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Dir. Mel Valmoria on Wednesday to discuss the said development.

Aside from the 900 recruits, at least a company–around 100 police officers–from NCRPO's Regional Public Safety Battalion will assist in the implementation of Oplan Lambat, or the establishment of regular checkpoints in select areas in the metro.

"Kailangan nating lalong pag-igtingin ang kampanya laban sa kriminalidad dito sa Metro Manila," Roxas said. "Kailangan natin ng isang full-court press, kumbaga sa basketball, laban sa mga kriminal na ito, organisado man o hindi."

According to a news release, the reinforcements will be spread around the 21 places in Metro Manila that the NCRPO declared crime prone in 2012.

Among them are areas under the jurisdiction of the following precints:

• Police Community Precint (PCP) 10 in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City
• PCP 4 in Barangay Tugatog, Malabon City
• PCP 4 in North Bay Boulevard South, Navotas City
• PCP 3 in Marulas, Valenzuela City
• PCP 6 in Sto. Niño, Marikina City
• PCP 4 in Pinagbuhatas, Pasig City
• PCP 2 in Plainview, Mandaluyong City
• PCP 1 in Greenhills, San Juan City
• PCP 6 in Barangay Sto. Niño, Pasay City
• PCP 6 in Ayala, Makati City
• PCP 1 in Baclaran, Parañaque City
• PCP 3 in Barangay Pamplona, Las Piñas City
• PCP 2 in Alabang, Muntinlupa City
• PCP 4 in Signal Village, Taguig City

Roxas likewise instructed the police officials to tap a select group of personnel from the PNP's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and Intelligence Group to hunt down notorious crime groups in NCR.

He also called for a complete mapping of crime-prone areas, as well as a profiling of crime groups, the news release said. — Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/JDS, GMA News