No major crimes in
Yolanda-affected areas
By RPCRD, Police Regional
Office 8
December 11, 2013
CAMP KANGLEON, Palo,
Leyte – There were no major crime incidents recorded in Tacloban
City and other affected areas in Eastern Visayas more than a month
after super typhoon Yolanda wrought havoc to the region, according to
the top police official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) here.
Police Chief Supt. Henry
Losañes, acting regional director of Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8)
during Wednesday’s coordination meeting at the Leyte Sports Academy
command center said that since November 8, his office has not received
any report of major crimes in Tacloban City and other towns affected
by the typhoon in Leyte, Samar and Eastern Samar provinces.
“The peace and order
situation in the region after the onslaught of the typhoon is
generally peaceful although minor occurrence of crimes such as theft
is being reported,” Losañes said.
He attributed this to the
deployment of policemen in strategic areas and the curfew hours that
is being implemented by the police from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
“Notwithstanding the
personal tragedy and loss of property suffered by our men, they
continue to perform their normal police functions and the augmentation
personnel from other regions are a big help,” he said.
The PNP had sent more than
1,200 personnel that augmented the PRO8 manpower drawn from the PNP’s
Special Action Force (SAF) and various regional offices which provided
security and police assistances.
The police official also
acknowledged the role of “force multipliers” in supporting the police
in the affected localities.
“Barangay tanods are already
supporting police officers in patrolling their villages and reporting
incident of crimes,” the regional police chief added.