MANILA – “Too aggressive” was how Sen. Panfilo Lacson described the first two years of the Duterte administration’s anticrime efforts.
Two ways to solve the problem of criminality and drugs are prevention and suppression, said Lacson, a former Philippine National Police chief.
But the government focused more on suppression than prevention, said the senator.
“Ang crime suppression resort ito ’pag ’di mo na-prevent – ’di ka naka-prevent ng robbery, dapat i-solve mo. Kung ’di mo ma-solve, malaki ang problema. Paano mo mape-prevent kung focus ng pamahalaan suppression lamang?” he said.
Police visibility should be top priority, said Lacson.
“I have yet to see massive police visibility,” particularly foot patrols, he said.
Officers would normally use the lack of fund for car fuel as reason for not making rounds, said Lacson.
“Maglakad kayo,” he recalled telling subordinates when he was a police commander in Cebu.
Aside from saving on gasoline expense, foot patrol would allow the police to get closer to the community, said Lacson.
“Sa ibang bansa makikita mo nagfu-foot patrol ang pulis at napaka-approachable,” he said.
Moreover Lacson criticized the police campaign against loiterers as part of crime prevention, saying there are better strategies.
“Ang krimen, murder, robbery, mangyayari at mangyayari ito. Pero dapat gumawa ka ng mas magandang strategy na ’di lang naka-focus na lilikumin mo lahat na tambay,” he said.
Police visibility, Lacson insisted, could avert, say, snatching perpetrated by a petty thief hanging out on the street side./PN
