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THE
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)
has assured the Philippine National Police (PNP) of its
support in developing technical capability for solving
cyber crime and modern countermeasures against
bioterrorism.
The
assurance was given by Interpol Secretary-General Ronald
Noble to PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr.
when they met in Hong Kong at the 20th Interpol Asian
Regional Conference.
“Although the technology involved in bioterrorism
preparedness is quite new to us, it is never too early
to be prepared and to prevent it from happening by
developing capacity to detect and respond to crisis of
this nature,” said Razon.
He said
capability in chemical, biological, radiological and
nuclear response is already institutionalized in modern
police forces around the world.
The
Interpol has created a Bioterrorism Prevention Resource
Centre to provide member-countries with a resource
center for training how to meet bioterrorism. Razon said
the PNP is also cooperating with its Indonesian
counterpart in developing a DNA databank of known
members of the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group Jema’ah
Islamiyah (JI).
The PNP
will assist
Indonesia
in acquiring the DNA profile of JI members known to be
operating in the some areas in the Philippines. He said
initial coordination was made during a separate meeting
in
Hong Kong.
The
other members of the Philippine delegation are Director
Edgardo Acuña, PNP Director for Personnel and Records
Management (DPRM); Director Romeo Ricardo, Director for
Plans; Chief Supt. Silverio Alarcio, Director for
Operations; Undersecretary Rolando Garcia of the
Interpol National Central Bureau Manila; Immigration
Commissioner Marcelino Libanan, and Wilfred Porquez of
the Law Enforcement Division of the Bureau of
Immigration. |
