Palace: PNP’s fast response time proves effective

Malacañan Palace on Wednesday affirmed that the police visibility strategy being implemented by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Metro Manila is not outdated, asserting it remains effective in combating street crimes.

Palace spokesperson Undersecretary Claire Castro said the PNP’s 3-to-5-minute quick response time had proven effective, citing a recent incident in Rizal province where a cellphone snatcher was apprehended within just three minutes.

“According to a PNP report, responding police officers intercepted the suspect minutes after snatching the victim's cellphone. Recovered from the snatcher were the victim's cellphone, gambling paraphernalia, and a pen gun allegedly used in the holdup,” Castro said in Filipino during a Palace briefing on Wednesday.

Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III to enhance police visibility and ensure rapid response to make the public feel safer.

In line with this, Torre abolished police boxes and community precincts, redeploying officers to patrol duties—either on foot or in vehicles—and required them to keep their phones accessible to respond to 911 calls.

Meanwhile, Castro disclosed that Torre had already relieved a chief of police in Rizal province due to his slow response in handling a theft complaint.

Police learned that the officer’s team merely sent a businessman home after he reported a theft.

“The PNP chief emphasized that there is no room for laziness and slow-moving actions in the ranks of the police force. This swift action is proof of the police's dedication to providing concrete solutions in serving the people,” Castro added.

Even before the quick response scheme was fully implemented, the PNP reported a 23.13 percent drop in crime in Metro Manila from 23 November 2024 to 23 May 2025, logging 2,589 crimes compared to 3,368 during the same period the previous year.