Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Sunday said that efforts to improve the competency of police personnel in probing crimes and safeguarding evidence are being intensified as he recognizes the challenges in doing these tasks effectively.

Azurin said that a total of 4,326 personnel graduated under a recapitulation program for case handling in 2021 while retraining of some 16,000 investigators and evidence custodians is underway.

"This retraining program is a reinforcement to better capacitate our personnel and to boost their morale despite the extensive requirements in filing cases in the judiciary," Azurin said.

The PNP chief also expressed hope that the low conviction rate for drug cases won't falter PNP's keen resolve to continue the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.

"Let us not be discouraged because we continue to upscale our capabilities. My mandate is to make sure to always strictly follow the proper procedure in conducting operations and collating pieces of evidence for the court to appreciate," Azurin said.

The PNP chief also assured the public that the organization maintains a "zero tolerance" policy to breach of discipline and irregularities committed by wayward personnel.

"We always strive to provide the most credible service to the general public. Their confidence is the bastion of our duty to fight against injustices and eradicate criminality. Thus, for this to happen, we have to ensure that we possess the value of trustworthy law enforcers," Azurin said.

He added that the PNP recognizes the contribution of honest and dedicated police officers, but condemns those who tarnish the good reputation of the organization.

Meanwhile Azurin disclosed that the PNP is keeping an eye on the incidents of crime against women involving students.

According to the PNP data, 149 crimes of this nature were recorded nationwide from 1 July to 31 August 2022. The majority of these are Rape cases mostly from the National Capital Region.

Other prevalent reported cases were Acts of Lasciviousness and violation of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004.

"Our intention is not to create panic but we caution the students to always be vigilant around their environment. When their parents tell them not to trust strangers, the children must take this seriously," Azurin said.

The PNP chief assured the public that there is consistent police presence to deter criminals from preying on victims especially in crime-prone areas.

"There is also strong coordination between the Education department and the PNP to work hand-in-hand in ensuring the safety of the children. Now that classes are returning to the in-person set-up, there is a greater challenge for the police officers to monitor closely the vicinity around learning institutions," Azurin said.