Enhancing Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO)
The idea of Enhancing Scene of Crime Operation was conceived in the last quarter of 1997 as part of Program of Action (POA) for 1st Semester 1998, by no less than CSUPT Ricardo F De Leon, RD, PRO6.
A seminar on SOCO was conducted on 26-27 February 1998 to all field investigators of different CPOs/PPOs and PSs/PPs to improve and address the deficiencies in terms of scientific investigation of criminal cases, especially heinous crimes. A number of crime incidents committed in the country are unsolved and/or dismissed by trial courts because of insufficient evidences. These vital evidences that will provide clues on the suspects/offenders identities at the scene of the crime are either left out, destroyed or carelessly handled by incompetent investigators. With the advent of new technologies, these could be analyzed scientifically to yield positive results.
Past experiences showed that a well trained, well coordinated, highly motivated and properly equipped team achieved excellent results in the solution of criminal cases. Personal knowledge and instinctive actions or intuitions are of great help, however, there is no substitute for the adoption and practice of scientific investigation techniques. To boost PRO6's capabilities in this field, every policeman especially field investigators will be provided with adequate and up-to-date knowledge of SOCO.
PRO6 launched last January 7, 1998, the Oplan Project HAPPY, an acronym for HOME ACTIVITY PROGRAM for PROGRESSIVE YOUTH. This was inspired by PRO6's modest successes in Oplan BANAT alpha, and offensive action against illegal drug abuse, trafficking and other criminal influences in response to the perceived deteriorating moral values of today's youth brought about by negative environmental factors.
Project HAPPY asserts the importance of family life and the right to live in a peaceful and orderly community. It highlights harmonious living with a home in peaceful coexistence with the neighborhood.
These will be implemented by the subordinate units of PRO6 continuously as part of PCR activities in cooperation with civilian counterparts. It is one of the strategic approaches of Demand Reduction Drive (DRD) against prohibited drugs to be undertaken by the Anti-Illegal Drug and People Empowerment Teams (AIDPETS) and the Multi-Agency Development Task Force Action Teams (MATS).
Project HAPPY is the PRO6's flagship project that will focus on the strengthening of the family as the first line of defense against crime. To date, about twenty-two (22) Happy activities were conducted, 500 brochures and flyers, and 500 T-shirts were distributed. It is continually gaining wide acceptance among many sectors and various public commendation show that people are wanting of this kind of project.
PRO6 launched the Project YES, an acronym for YOUTH for ENVIRONMENT and SAFETY, in observance of the Fire Prevention Month of March, and in preparation for the El Niño and La Niña phenomenon.
YES connotes positive and an affirmative action. An action that is drawn from concern-oriented youths for the protection and preservation of the environment and for the safety of the general
public as well.
The youth will be properly led, nurtured and molded to undertake productive and positive activities for them to become disciplined members of a happy home and for a progressive community.
PRO6 launched a special project dubbed "Operation Gugma", on June 6, 1997. It was initially intended to assist retired, disabled, hospitalized and deceased PNP personnel in receiving their financial claims and benefits.
These benefits are practically the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow of their career and will redound to the upliftment of the morale and welfare of the PNPO personnel for their dedicated and wholehearted service. From its initial implementation up to this date,. there were 96 PNP beneficiaries who received their commutation of leave pay, five (5) PNP had claimed for burial benefits and six PNP claimed their SFA.
ENHANCED GUGMA
With the clear success of Operation Gugma, Its meaning and intent was expanded by Chief Superintendent Ricardo F de Leon.
The acronym GUGMA stands for:
G - God centered values and attitudes,Gugma serves as a system for the PNP and other people in addressing housing needs, scholarship programs, free legal services, health services and others.
U - understanding for co-worker and fellowmen,
G - genuineness of concern for country and people,
M - mutuality of efforts for assistance and development, and
A - adherence to law and to the highest standard of public service.The enhanced Operation Gugma is now being undertaken by provincial and city offices and down to the police station as one of the PRO6 flagship projects.
For the PNP to build a civilization of love in the region, the PRO6 launched a Christmas crusade for street children. The activity was launched during a Misa de Gallo last 16 December 1997 wherein hundreds of children in the neighboring barangays of Camp Delgado flocked to PRO6 to avail of the Christmas packages and participated in a program prepared for them.
These children were organized, then adopted and taught to hear midnight novenas, catechism and other wholesome activities. On December 19, 1997 a much bigger crowd of street children enjoyed the parlor games sponsored by the police offices during its Christmas celebration inside Camp Delgado. Happiness are painted on the faces of the street children as they played with the dependents of police personnel. They were also given Christmas packages.
This activity will be institutionalized as a continuing flagship project of PRO6. This was created in order to build a "civilization of love" by way of alleviating the plight of street children especially during Christmas season.
Moreover, these street children will feel the love and care of the PNP particularly PRO6, which will hopefully leave a lasting effect on them.
Education is a continuous learning process. The PRO6 recognizing its importance and through the initiative of P/CSupt Ricardo F de Leon, constructed its own learning center inside Camp Delgado - the PRO6 Library.
The library will henceforth be used as the permanent depository of important documents: past, present and future materials, references, books, articles, clippings and magazines relating to all aspect of police work, properly safeguarded and made available for research works.
The PRO6 library is located at the back of the PNP main building. The area was then known as the Enlisted Men's Barracks which was renovated to provide an atmosphere conducive to reading and research works.
The construction and repair cost of this project was P 350,000.00. Mayor Joseph Marañon of Sagay City donated a substantial amount of P 50,000.00 to subsidize the cost of the repair.
The library was blessed and witnessed by officers and members of the PRO6 last 07 January 1998 with Marañon as the invited guest of honor, and Engineer and Mrs. Ken Reader who donated the first batch of books from London.
All work and no sports makes a dull person. It was for this reason that the Camp Delgado through the initiative of Chief Supt. Ricardo F de Leon, PNP Regional Director a tennis enthusiast himself, renovated its tennis court as part of the PRO6 sports development program.
The former clay/shell tennis court has turned into a beautiful hard court, another pride of PRO6. It was magnificently furnished with a rubberized paint and halogen bulbs lightings to the satisfaction of the tennis players who are again growing in numbers.
De Leon considered this particular sport a "healthy, full of skill, energy and mental physique game." The tennis court was also renovated to meet new friends.
It all started when a Yugoslavian friend of Supt. Vicente Neptuno, chief of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (RAIDTAF) brought to Iloilo City two K-9 team - Bass and Lyon, specialized in detecting drugs and explosives.
They were utilized by Neptuno in his operation in the metropolis when he was still City Director of Iloilo City (ICPO) prior to his being the RAIDTAF chief. These K-9 had shown extraordinary ability by leading the PNP operatives in a series of raid for possible hiding places of illegal drugs - all went successfully and a big number of apprehended drug related cases was recorded in the City.
The K-9 is indeed effective but keeping them is very expensive. When Neptuno made an appeal to concerned citizens to keep the dogs, donation started pouring in.
Now the K-9 is beautifully housed inside Camp Delgado. The doghouse consists of six cages, furnished with tiles on the sides and a pebbled flooring. Beside the doghouse is the quarter of the handlers. The whole complex is secured by a perimeter fence. With the successful performance demonstrated by the K-9 team Chief Supt. Ricardo F de Leon plans to employ seven more K-9 to be utilized by the PNP in its campaign against illegal drugs.
The region recently trained 64 PNP personnel in Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Training held at Bago City, Negros Occidental. These was hosted by its local government headed by Manuel Torres and Chief Inspector Modesto Sanson Jr.
COP of Bago City.
The training was held in preparation for any hostage taking incidence or terroristic activities that might occur in the region. In the opening ceremony, Chief Supt. Ricardo de Leon, PNP Regional Director, stated that the training is necessary to instill competence and reliability in our team especially these days that hostage taking scenarios in the country occurs as in the past.
Upgrading the safety capabilities is one of the major thrusts of this PRO. Training on Disaster Preparedness, Search and Rescue will be cascaded down to the municipal and barangay level. The continuing El Niño phenomenon requires a high level of readiness to mitigate its effects. This activity culminates in March 1998 in time for the Fire Prevention Month.
This office will continually conduct more disaster trainings in coordination with the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 to upgrade the search and rescue capability in order to address negative effects of calamities both man-made and natural. With the recent RDCC conference held at Conference Room, PRO6 on 240900H February 1998, the council made preparation on the forecasted approaching phenomenon called "La Niña." The heads of government agencies concerned were tasked to formulate their own strategic action plan to mitigate the effects. A total of 210 participants were trained by PRO6 for the year alone.
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