PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they will be enhancing their digital and intelligence capabilities which help police officers in preventing persons from slipping through the country’s coastal exit points and evading arrest abroad.
In a statement, Nartatez said the PNP is pushing for stronger technology-driven law enforcement measures as authorities tighten monitoring of maritime routes often exploited by fugitives and transnational criminal groups.
‘The PNP must continue investing in intelligence-driven technologies, real-time information sharing, and integrated monitoring systems that allow us to track fugitives and criminal networks across jurisdictions,’ he added.
Likewise, Nartatez said strengthening data analytics, surveillance capabilities, and interagency connectivity will help law enforcement stay ahead of criminals who attempt to exploit maritime routes and other points of exit.
Earlier, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called for the strengthening of border security and to prevent wanted individuals and criminal syndicates from exploiting the country’s vast coastline to evade law enforcement.
In response to this, the government said it is strengthening the capabilities of the PNP and other law enforcement agencies as part of wider efforts to combat transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and online scam operations across the Asean region.
ASEAN member-states recently underscored the importance of intelligence sharing and joint enforcement operations during the 20th Asean Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime, recognizing that criminal organizations increasingly use international borders to move operations and avoid prosecution.
As such, Nartatez directed concerned PNP units to intensify border intelligence operations and identify possible escape routes used by wanted persons, particularly in coastal communities and known maritime exit points.
He also ordered the maximization of available technologies and intelligence resources to support fugitive tracking and identification efforts.
The PNP will pursue every lawful avenue, strengthen international cooperation, and work with our foreign counterparts to ensure that fugitives are brought to justice,’ Nartatez said.