Caloocan police most trusted, Napolcom survey shows

Months after the Philippine National Police relieved the entire Caloocan City Police Station due to alleged involvement in killings, trespassing and robbery and replaced it with new personnel, the people’s trust and respect on the police in the city has increased.

In a survey conducted by the National Police Commission-National Capital Region from October  30 and November 2 to 3 and 6 to 10 last year, Caloocan City Police got the highest rating among the cities and municipalities in Metro Manila in terms of public trust and respect for the police.

From 65 percent in 2016, it received 88.8 percent in 2017 or a boost in its ranking from third in 2016 to first in 2017.

Quezon City Police received the second highest rank with 73.6 percent in 2017, up from 12th spot with 30 percent in 2016.

The highest ranked on public trust and respect in 2016, Marikina City Police, meanwhile, went down to third place in 2017. It had a rating of 61.3 percent compared to 83.3 in 2016.

Mandaluyong City Police and Valenzuela City Police both received the lowest ratings of 32.7 percent.

Not surprised

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said he was not surprised with the result of the survey, but he was very happy with it.

“Eto ngayon most trusted. Very positive development iyan dahil most trusted, from worse to best hindi ba so napakaganda nyan. I am very happy with that,” Dela Rosa said when asked on the matter.

He said the result of the survey justified their action to relieve all personnel of the  Caloocan City Police Station.

“It justified our actions na tinanggal natin lahat, nilagyan natin ng mga baong pulis so justified ‘yung move natin, decisions made natin noon,” he said.

He said that before the deaths of Kian delos Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz, and the raid of Caloocan cops on a house, he was satisfied with the performance of Caloocan cops.

“Since merong nangyari na hindi maganda it negated everything. Although napakaganda nung anti-drug campaign nila doon, talagang very aggressive sila, wala na ako hinahanap dahil grabe yung kanilang agressiveness sa drugs kaso lang sumobra yung gigil kaya nagkaroon ng pag aabuso at pagkakamali,” he said.

In September last year, the PNP relieved the 1,000 personnel of Caloocan City Police Station and ordered them to undergo re-training.

Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Clifton Empiso told GMA News Online that only 300 of the retrained personnel were allowed to return to NPD and only the key officers were assigned at Caloocan City while the rest were deployed to other police stations.

On the lackluster performance of Mandaluyong City Police and Valenzuela City Police, Dela Rosa said he will remind the chiefs of police to perform better.

“Ako mismo I will tell you frankly kahit na wala pa ‘yang survey na ‘yan ako mismo hindi ako masyadong masaya sa performance ng mga pulis sa Mandaluyong, matagal na naming pinag-usapan ni (NCRPO chief Director Oscar) Albayalde. ‘Yung performance nila sa anti-drug, medyo mahina, malamya kaya nakailang palit na ba tayo ng chief of police dyan.  Mababa yung performance nila when it comes to drugs,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News