(Photo from Melrose Lagonoy)
LEGAZPI CITY — The Police Regional Office (PRO) – Bicol arrested 516 wanted persons in September through intensified weekly warrant day operations, nearly 10 percent higher than the 471 arrests recorded in August.
PRO-Bicol said the September figure represented a 97.18 percent accomplishment rate against its target of 531 arrests, its highest monthly compliance so far.
Of those apprehended, 74 were classified as municipal-level wanted persons, 11 as city-level, 23 as provincial-level, 10 as regional-level, and 398 as other wanted persons.
Aside from its warrant operations, PRO-Bicol also launched Project Ka-Su-Rog and distributed logistical equipment to mobile force and other police units.
Project Ka-Su-Rog, short for “Alagang Kasurog,” stands for “KA: Kapamilyang ituring ang komunidad; SU: Suportang tapat at nararamdaman; and ROG: Respondeng mabilis, obligasyong may puso at gabay ng mamamayan.”
PRO-Bicol Director Brig. Gen. Randy Glenn Silvio said the initiative aims to improve frontline police service by requiring personnel to assist complainants beyond merely referring them to another police unit.
Silvio said police personnel should ensure that people seeking assistance are properly accommodated and connected with the appropriate unit, especially when an incident falls outside their jurisdiction.
“What we want is that when there is a complainant, we attend to them. We should not stop that day until we have addressed the complainant’s problem,” he said.
He added that officers may accompany complainants to the concerned police unit or immediately coordinate with the proper station so incidents can be acted upon without delay.
“If you cannot bring the person there, at least call the concerned PNP unit so they will know that a crime or incident happened there for follow-up, to identify the suspect or person of interest, and for the filing of the case,” Silvio said.
He said delays in coordination may prolong investigations and require additional measures such as reviewing CCTV footage and organizing special investigation teams involving multiple police units.
Silvio said Alagang Ka-Su-Rog is intended to raise the standard of police service by treating every person seeking assistance as a client entitled to responsive and appropriate action.
“We will continue strengthening our best practices and operational strategies so that our service will be more effective, faster, and more responsive,” he said.
