‘Safer Cities’ crackdown nets 25K violators

Police apprehended 24,881 people for violating local ordinances during the first full day of a nationwide security crackdown dubbed “Safer Cities,” the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported Wednesday.

The initiative, launched last 6 April, targets minor offenses such as public drinking, roaming shirtless, and late-night karaoke. The operations were conducted across the five police districts of Metro Manila — Manila, Quezon City, Northern, Southern and Eastern.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) spokesperson Maj. Hazel Asilo said the Southern Police District recorded the highest number of violators with 12,211. Of the total apprehended across the region, 8,075 were cited for drinking in public.

Authorities issued fines to 6,369 individuals and formally charged 219. The remaining 18,293 were released with warnings.

The PNP expects to collect roughly P5.6 million in citation fines from the first 24 hours of the operation.

Asilo cited that no repeat offenders have been recorded yet, and background checks using electronic warrant databases have not linked those apprehended to prior criminal cases.

Under the new directive from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, village officials are now required to join police patrols.

“Previously, it was mostly just the police going around for local ordinances,” Asilo said. “Now, [village officials] are obligated to join because that is the order of the Interior Secretary.”

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the initiative aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to increase police visibility in urban centers.

“We are out here not just to write tickets, but to remind everyone that peaceful communities are built when people follow rules that protect us all,” Nartatez said.

He also stressed that while the enforcement is firm, officers are instructed to respect human rights and the dignity of citizens.

The “Safer Cities” program is currently focused on Metro Manila but is slated for expansion to all urban areas nationwide.

Police urged the public to observe curfew hours for minors and comply with city ordinances to avoid apprehension.