SEN. MARCOS CHALLENGES PNP CHIEF MARQUEZ TO STEM RISING CRIMINALITY IN PH

SENATOR Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. called on Director General Ricardo Marquez, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), to address rising criminality in the country, as he challenged the PNP to find more effective ways to protect the people.

Marcos expressed alarm over the big jump in the crime rate in the first 6 months of 2015 compared to same period last year. Records from the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detection Management showed that 885,445 crimes were reported from January to June this year, compared to 603,085 cases during the same period in 2014.

"Could it be that criminal elements have increased? Or the efforts of the policemen have decreased? What have the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) and the PNP been doing?" he said.

Marcos pointed out that he had confidence that the PNP will be able to carry out its mandate to protect the people.

The country's crime situation was one of the topics Marcos discussed with hundreds of students of the Rizal Technological University in a forum held at its Mandaluyong campus last Tuesday.

"Kahit (siguro) walang trapik, kahit mabilis man ang biyahe, kung ikaw naman ay maho-holdap sa daan o sa jeep o sa bus, o kaya ang kotse mo ay maka-carnap, wala rin. Pati ang cellphone mo, tablet o laptop na pinaghirapan mo o ng magulang mo na bilhin, pati ang pinaghirapang allowance mula sa magulang o ang suweldo sa kinsenas, matatangay ng ganun-ganun na lang ng mga masasamang-loob," he told the students, faculty members and other guests, which included Mayor Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. of Mandaluyong City.

Marcos challenged Marquez, who is just two and a half months in his tour of duty as police overall chief, to do something to address worsening criminality and protect the people, whether they are in the streets or inside their homes.