Quezon City Police District director Chief Supt. George Regis has assured QC Hall that the QCPD is doing its best to strengthen its operations against crime syndicates specializing in bloody carnapping in the city.
Regis informed Mayor Herbert Bautista that the QCPD also welcomes assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation in solving recent cases of carnapping with killing, particularly the deaths of carnap victims Teresa Leaño and Cheryl Sarmiento.
Regis said that the suspects in the Teaño case had already been identified. “The suspects belong to a big group and we are hopeful that we can arrest and charge them soon,” he added.
QC Hall and QCPD authorities believe that there is a need for a stronger QC anti-crime capability because the QCPD is still undermanned. The present ratio of police officers to the city population is 1: 964 while the ideal ratio is 1:500, according to the QCPD.
To make up for lack of police manpower, the city government has been providing the QCPD with more patrol cars and modern crime fighting equipment and facilities.
Meanwhile, Mayor Bautista said he expects a big drop in carnapping cases in Quezon City next year when the city starts to strictly implement its installation of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) requirement for the issuance and renewal of business permits.
The Mayor has given business establishments until December 31 to install CCTVs in their premises or face non-renewal of their business permits.
The CCTV requirement is principally aimed at preventing crimes like carnapping in high-risk establishments such as car dealership stores, schools, convenience stores, gasoline stations and banks.
Mayor Bautista directed the city’s business permit and licensing office (BPLO) to strictly implement a no CCTV – no-business-permit policy starting next year.
He also ordered the BPLO to conduct inspections starting in August to determine if the establishments that were given business permits this year are complying with the CCTV requirement.
“We will strictly implement the new policy. No CCTV installation, no business permit,” the Mayor told BPLO chief Pacifico Maghacot during an executive committee meeting.
Earlier, Mayor Bautista directed the city’s 142 barangays to also set up CCTV cameras in their area of responsibility and use their calamity fund for this purpose.
He said the CCTV installations will be a great help in improving the city’s traffic situation and peace and order operations. -30- Mencio/ Maureen Quinones, PAISO
