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PNP expects 5 000 additional policemen in 2003

      BACOLOD CITY,  Oct. 1, 2002 (PNA) -- The Philippine National Police
(PNP) plans to hire an additional 5,000 policemen next year to
further beef up its forces.

      Senior Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil, PNP spokesman, said here,
however, that whether or not Western Visayas, particularly Negros
Occidental, will be alloted some, "is not known yet."

      Bataoil said the appropriation for the additional 5,000 police
personnel has already been included in the 2003 national budget.

      Negros Occidental lacks 175 policemen to meet the standard
ratio of one PNP member per 1,000 Negrenses. It also faces shortage
of firearms.

     On the other hand, the recruitment of 200 additional policemen
allocated for Region 6 by Camp Crame,  was cancelled for lack of
budgetary support.

     Bataoil said PNP Director-General Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. has
ordered the deployment of 75 per cent of police stations' manpower to
the streets "to maximize visibility operation in identified
crime-prone areas."

     The lack of manpower, communication facilities and firearms have
been the common complaints of  police chiefs here in a  command
conference held in northern and southern Negros last week.

      Senior Supt. Gerry Barias, PNP Firearms and Explosives Office
chief said Negros Occidental PNP topped the list of police units
nationwide with firearm shortage.

      About 280 policemen, equivalent to 20 per cent of the 1,400
policemen in Negros Occidental have no short firearms, police records
show.  (PNA)

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