Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) Director Jose Mario Espino ordered his men to intensify operations against riding-in-tandem criminals.
Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, Regional Intelligence Division (RID-7) chief, said they are now on the lookout for criminals on board motorcycles.
“We will also be enhancing our manhunt operations against the most wanted persons in the region,” Cabal said.
Cabal said there is also the so-called “intra-drug war” in the region being perpetrated by people riding tandem.
“When we say intra-drug war, it’s a war between the drug syndicates. They eradicate each other,” Cabal said.
He said most victims of these riding-in-tandem criminals are those who did not remit proceeds of illegal drug sales.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has shifted its focus to going against motorcycle-riding suspects in shooting incidents after President Rodrigo
Duterte ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to become the sole agency tasked to carry out the war on drugs in light of the recent independent survey that showed a decline in the President’s satisfaction and trust ratings because of the bloody drug war.
In a statement last Oct. 12, PNP Directorate for Operations Director Camilo Cascolan said one of the major street crimes that destroyed the reputation and credibility of the PNP organization is the continued occurrence of shooting incidents involving motorcycle-riding suspects.
Because of the new directive, all drug enforcement units of PRO-7 have also been dissolved.