PH, Indonesia agree to institutionalize police cooperation
The governments of the Philippines and Indonesia have agreed to institutionalize cooperation between their police forces, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Saturday.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said this development followed the capture of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, who was hiding in Indonesia.
“Iyong nangyari sa Indonesia, you know Alice Guo, is just one case. But there a lot of other criminals that can go through this path. Kaya nag-usap kami ng Indonesian police na ‘yung ginawa namin na ganito, police to police, ito ay magiging institutionalize na. ‘Yung cooperation na ito, ‘Yung pagtutulungan natin,” Abalos said in a news forum in Quezon City.
The DILG chief said an exchange of information and operations between the Philippines and Indonesia will be facilitated.
“Kasi sila (Indonesians) namomoblema rin. Malaki ‘yung border nila sa tubig. Tayo (Philippines) malaking border natin sa tubig at iilan lamang ang bangka natin. Iilan lamang ang ating mga helicopter to patrol. So, magkakaroon ng parang pag-uusap, exchange of information, exchange of operations. So iyon po ang napagkasunduan namin,” Abalos added.
Guo was arrested earlier this week in a townhouse in Tangerang City, Indonesia. She was brought back to the Philippines early Friday via a private plane.
Following Guo’s capture, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he expects the disgraced former mayor to explain how the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) became “a large criminal enterprise” in her home turf.
The President also said Guo has to explain how she got elected and accumulated a significant amount of money.
In the same forum, Abalos also cited the common enemies of the two countries ? illegal drugs and smuggling.
“This will be the start of something big dahil we have common enemies. Number one, ‘yung drugs, and number two, smuggling sa lugar na ‘yan, at marami pa ho. At may na-trace nga kami na ‘yung ibang mga operations doon baka dumadaan sa Pilipinas. Hindi ko lang ho babanggitin. So, we have common enemies as far as we are concerned ? criminal activities and the criminals themselves,” he said. Presidential News Desk
