Cascolan orders more police 'motorcycle patrols' nationwide

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan has ordered the deployment of more motorbike-riding policemen in the country.

In a press briefing on Monday, Cascolan said that he also instructed all regional police offices to initiate training for the concerned police personnel.

“I had directed from the memorandum the increase of policemen by adding motorcycle patrols,” he said.

Cascolan also ordered the start of the operation of additional motorcycle patrols in all the regional police offices in the country to address crimes that need high-speed response.

According to Cascolan, the directive is in light of President Rodrigo’s Duterte’s push for new motorcycles for the police organization to chase down drug suspects.

“I understand the nightmare the police are facing [on] how to control the mobility of the criminal right after committing a crime, kasi ang motor kasi mag-zigzag lang ‘yan in and out of traffic situations and they can really get away with it easily,” he said.

From January 1 to October 16, Cascolan said at least 1,324 street crimes attributed to around 1,958 motorcycle-riding suspects were reported.

These crimes involve murder, rape, theft, carnapping, and illegal drugs, among others.

Currently, Cascolan said the PNP is hunting around 1,629 suspects who are still at large.  —KBK, GMA News