It is not the lack of funds but rather the lack of training among intelligence officers that has led to the growing number of criminalities in Iloilo City, according to Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol Jr., regional police director.

Querol noted that every police unit has an allocated budget from the Philippine National Police headquarters plus augmentation from the City Government.

He stressed that rather, improving intelligence gathering among each unit will help reduce the criminalities in the region, especially in the city.

He urged police commanders in the region to focus on improving their quad operations which include the implementation of intelligence, investigation, operation and community relations network of the PNP.

He said that the presence of police officers will not stop crimes from happening because the enemy may just intercept police operation.

"But, if you have a good intelligence unit, you don't need more police personnel in the area," he said.

Recently, Chief Inspector Dande Deocampo re-assumed his old post as intelligence chief of the Iloilo City Police Office, as a move to win back the trust of Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog who admitted that he was not satisfied with the intelligence network in determining the people behind the various criminalities in the city.

He also said that the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams should also serve as village-based intelligence operatives.

The BPATs is an initiative of Querol to augment police forces in the barangay.

THREE-STRIKE POLICY

Meanwhile, Querol also added that the three-strike policy on robbery incidents will be reviewed.

The three-strike policy means that a police commander will be administratively relieved from his post and investigated for lapses, inaction or negligence if three successive robbery incidents occur in his area of jurisdiction.

He said that they will review the performance of the police commanders in the region on how they implement anti-crime activities.

"Criminal gangs do not only operate in one town, but all parts of the province," he said.

He also noted the decrease of crimes in the region for the period of January to April.

Based on the records of PRO6, 2,362 crime incidents were recorded in the first four months of 2012, lower compared to last year's 3,363 cases in the same period in 2011.

Meanwhile, Querol also urged the city and the province for the strong implementation of the Oplan Katawhayan sa Dalan, an intensified check point operation especially among motorcycle riders.*