Acting Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. has directed all police units nationwide to update and strengthen their security and safety operations ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Nartatez issued the order on Wednesday, emphasizing the need for proactive law enforcement during the Yuletide season to ensure that “peace-loving and law-abiding Filipinos can enjoy a safe and peaceful celebration.”

“Instead of citizens worrying about what criminals might do, it should be the offenders who fear our intensified operations,” Nartatez said in a statement. “Our goal is to disprove the belief that crimes like robbery and theft rise during the Christmas and New Year period. This time, it’s the number of arrests that should go up.”

Nartatez said the PNP will be ramping up operations against wanted persons and repeat offenders, particularly those with histories of robbery and theft.

He cited the recent arrest of two suspects linked to a series of fast-food chain robberies in Bulacan and Pampanga as an example of swift police response. 

The suspects were caught in Caloocan City just hours after their latest crime on November 10, with authorities seizing a gray Toyota Avanza, two license plates, a .38-caliber revolver, P23,000 in cash, and other evidence.

Nartatez added that police units are reviewing and adjusting security protocols in areas where large crowds typically gather, such as malls, parks, terminals, and ports.

“The PNP will make the necessary adjustments in our security protocols to ensure the safety of the public,” Nartatez said. 

“We’ve been doing this every year, and the public can rest assured that we know what to do during the holidays,” he said.