PNP fails to meet goal for number of arrests – COA

The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported a lower than projected performance in capturing high value criminals in 2018, even as the national government increased police salaries by P32.73 billion, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in its annual report.

State auditors said the PNP met just 19.37 percent of its 51.57-percent target for "most wanted persons/high-value targets arrested," while the national crime index rose from five percent to 6.16 percent.

The COA said the PNP also fell short of its 60 percent target for "arrested persons within 30 days upon receipt of warrant of arrest." The PNP only made 34.70 percent of these arrests in 2018.

The audit did not state the raw numbers for these figures.

The COA said crime investigations undertaken by the PNP had reached 464,661, or about 57,000 short of the 522,301 target.

On the other hand, COA data showed the PNP was less than a percentage point short of its 100-percent goal of responding to crime incidents within 15 minutes.

The PNP, likewise, exceeded its number of patrol operations by 7.7 percent. The COA said foot and mobile patrol operations reached 16.6 million last year, above the target of 15.4 million.

The commission said the salaries and wages of regular uniformed personnel and civilian employees increased to P74.7 billion in 2018 from the previous P42 billion due to the third tranche of Executive Order No. 2, which granted additional benefits for all PNP personnel.

Deliverables from PITC

Meanwhile, the COA said the PNP received only P137.49 million worth of equipment, or a delivery rate of 10 percent, out of the total P1.347 billion in funds transferred from the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC).

The fund from the PITC was meant for the purchase of utility trucks, automatic grenade launchers, light personnel carriers, and other equipment requirements of the PNP.

But the COA said the government-owned corporation had yet to fulfill its obligations, saying it only delivered six out of the 55 items listed for procurement.

The items included genetic DNA analyzers, handheld dental x-ray machines, personal computers, laptops, and generator sets.

The COA urged the PNP national headquarters to direct the Directorate for Logistics to demand the immediate delivery of all equipment due from the PITC, or otherwise require the PITC to refund advance payments.

The PNP, in its reply, told the COA that it had sent a letter to the PITC in compliance with the audit recommendation. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/DVM, GMA News