The Police Regional Office said it will support the barangay tip box program of the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG).
“The directive and project of DILG regarding the (tip box) is a welcome move to the police,” said Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino, PRO-7 chief.
DILG plans to put up boxes in each of Cebu City’s 80 barangays to encourage residents to report cases of corruption and illegal drug activities. The tip boxes are expected to be set up next month.
The tip boxes is included in the revised guidelines issued by the DILG in the Mamayang Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamayang Ayaw sa Iligal na Droga (Masa Masid) program.
The tip boxes to be set up in barangay halls are among the prescribed methods of reporting aside from hotlines, e-mail and text messaging.
Espino said there are also tip boxes in Tagbilaran town, Bohol province. “Our (tip box) in Tagbilaran Police Station does not only confine for illegal drug information. It also solicits suggestions on how to improve the police stations,” Espino said.
Espino added that it also served as a tip box for those who are involved not only in illegal drugs but also other forms of crimes. “And also those policemen who are abusive,” he said.
Espino said they are planning to replicate the move in other provinces in Central Visayas. He said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) need not worry about the tip boxes since the information received will be treated with confidentiality.
He said the police will still validate and assess information received from these tip boxes.