CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The provincial government headed by Governor Lilia Nanay Pineda allotted a total of P30 million for the peace and order of the province.
This came after the Sanguniang Panlalawigan and the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) approved the budget at the 1st quarter meeting of the PPOC held at Benigno Aquino Hall, Capitol Grounds in this city, this Tuesday.
It was attended by Vice Governor Dennis Delta Pineda, board member Rosve Henson, Department of Interior and Local Government provincial director Myrvie Fabia, mayors of the municipalities and cities of the province, representatives from the Department of Justice, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agrarian Reform, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, provincial heads and other concerned agencies.
Governor Pineda wants to ensure the safety of every Kapampangan despite the shortage of police personnel in the province.
“Gusto ko walang patayan, walang drugs, walang aksidente. ‘Yung mga kababayan nating naligaw ng landas at kumakalaban sa gobyerno, gusto ko bumalik,” the governor said.
Based on the records of the Pampanga Police Provincial Office, there are only 1,251 police personnel in the province.
Records also show that crime rate in the province increased by 27.96% in January to February 2015 compared to the same months of 2014.
The 887 crimes in 2014 increased by 1,135 in 2014. 626 of the total crimes are considered index crimes while 509 are considered non-index crimes.
PSSupt Rodolfo Recomono Jr, Provincial director of the Pampanga PPO, assured the governor that the peace and order in the province is manageable and attributed the increase to the new parameters given by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in computing crime volume.
Recomono added that the data proves the increase of police interventions in every municipality for the first quarter of the year.
Vice Governor Delta Pineda, asked the PNP to provide a report which details the unsolved crimes in the province.
“Nagkakaroon ban g solusyon yung mga crimes? It’s a way para machallenge ‘yung ating mga chief of police at mayors na mas paigtingin pa yung pagbabantay s kanilng lugar,” the vice governor said
Meanwhile, Governor Pineda vowed to construct and renovate municipal police stations that are not conducive to the law enforcers.
“Maghanap lang kayo ng lupa kami ng bahala sa building. ‘Yung mga malalayo sa bayan, ‘yun ang pagtayuan niyo ng substations,” the governor said.
The governor also urged the mayors to support their law enforcers and provide the logistical support that they need.
She also tasked the local chief executives to pressure barangay kagawads to always make themselves available and cooperate with the law enforcers.
By Liezel Cayanan
