Police record ordinance violations surge

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. called on police officers nationwide Wednesday to build on enforcement gains after law enforcement recorded 9.2 million local ordinance violations during the first nine months of 2026.

Nartatez stressed the need to sustain community-level enforcement under the agency’s Safer Cities Initiative, emphasizing that police actions must remain firm, lawful, and respectful of public rights.

The directive aligns with instructions from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., issued through Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, to enhance public safety and maintain order through closer coordination with local government units.

“Enforcing local ordinances is not only about correcting violations,” Nartatez said. “It is also about building disciplined communities where the rule of law is upheld, public safety is protected, and every person’s rights and dignity are respected.”

Police units nationwide documented 9.2 million violations of municipal and city ordinances between 1 January and 30 September, marking a 57.2 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

Out of the recorded infractions, 4.1 million resulted in fines, while 5 million individuals received verbal warnings or were released. Authorities also filed 34,198 cases in court and recorded 49,449 cases under other legal dispositions.

Nartatez stressed that community cooperation is vital to maintaining public order, calling on residents to observe local regulations. He reminded officers that routine enforcement must strictly respect civil rights.

“We urge our police personnel to sustain firm, fair, and consistent enforcement because lasting peace and order begin at the community level,” Nartatez said. “Peace can be attained through firm law enforcement, with high respect for the dignity of the public.”