CITY OF SAN FERNANDO —Pampanga Gov. Lilia G. Pineda wants the Philippine National Police (PNP) to strengthen its coordination with barangay officials in the province to maintain peace and order and monitor possible drug laboratories.
During a meeting at the Governor’s Office here on Monday, Pineda instructed Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Joel R. Consulta to closely coordinate with village officials.
“Strengthen your collaboration with barangay officials,” Pineda said.
Consulta said the governor also wants the police to inspect all subdivisions in the province to check possible illegal-drug laboratories.
“The governor instructed us to monitor subdivisions where the drug labs are possibly located. That’s what we are going to do. We will do the rounds in these areas,” he said.
“She instructed us to coordinate with barangay captains…who have firsthand knowledge of what’s happening in their areas,” Consulta added.
The governor is also moving to equip all barangays in the province to have a closed-circuit television system capable of 24/7 monitoring, which can be accessed via the soon-to-be established PNP command center.
In ensuring peace and order, Consulta said the provincial police office has a minimum of 90 checkpoints all over the province on a daily basis to monitor criminal elements.
“Every station has four daily checkpoints in every province’s 19 municipalities and two cities,” he said.
Consulta added the checkpoints implemented “Oplan Sita,” which has seized illegal firearms, drugs and unregistered motorcycles.
He said in Mabalacat City last Saturday, Oplan Sita was able to seize two illegal .38 caliber revolvers, as well as shabu. He said they have also impounded numerous motorcycles.
“Even the local traffic enforcers were able to issue a lot of citation tickets to drivers with no helmets and no driver’s licenses and motorcycles with no license plates.
Consulta said they have conducted more than 60 “Oplan Tokhang” operations in the province since the controversial police operation against illegal drugs was reverted to the PNP last December 5.
“But it is now less bloody as ordered by the PNP chief,” he said.
Consulta added Pineda also wants the provincial police office to submit to the Governor’s Office the plans and programs of the PNP for 2018.