PNP at the 17th Annual Conference of Heads of National Central Bureaus (INTERPOL)
The Philippine National Police never ceases to take part in the global forum to respond to various global issues, and to discuss with its international counterparts, police-related concerns and collaboration to collectively address police concerns in the present time.
The steadfast commitment of PNP to the citizenry pushes its leaders to prioritize international engagements and immersion with other police agencies, with the specific objective of having greater cooperation, most particularly, on addressing prevalent transborder crimes like child exploitation, financial fraud, illegal drugs and terrorism.
On November 28, 2022, PNP Chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin, Jr., led the seven-man PNP delegation to attend the 17th Annual Conference of Heads of National Central Bureaus of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO-INTERPOL) which was held in Lyon, France until November 30, 2022.
Other members of the Philippine Delegation were the Director for Intelligence (DI) Police Major General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr; Director for Operations (DO) Police Brigadier General Emmanuel B. Peralta; Director for Plans (DPL) Police Brigadier General Bernard M. Banac; Director for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) Police Major General Eliseo DC Cruz; and Director for Information and Communication Technology Management (DICTM) Police Major General Valeriano T. De Leon.
Said gathering was attended by some 300 delegates coming from the 142 INTERPOL-member countries around the globe. It seeks to provide opportunities for member countries to build relationships and to facilitate cooperation among the heads and their national police organization, particularly, on the sharing of data, best practices, operational strategies and other relative approaches to address emerging global crimes. National Central Bureaus also provide important inputs and developments into shaping INTERPOL’s activities and plans depending on the needs of the country.
Police General Azurin said in one of the sessions in the assembly, that the Philippines is never far behind in addressing current criminal activity involving transnational syndicates in the country. He also reiterated that PNP has continued its intensified efforts to hunt down fugitive foreigners who are hiding in the country.
“The Interpol, more than ever, has been forward looking at prospects of better cooperation among countries, and PNP is proud of our role in this international alliance against crime, to which we have assisted foreign counterparts in tracking down wanted fugitives and providing active technical support to international efforts,” General Azurin added.
He also stated that the major role of the PNP Women and Children Protection Center in the recent international law enforcement operation in the Philippines, US, Norway, United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany is a testament to the responsiveness of the country as an active member of a global alliance of police agencies that share common interests in combatting transnational crime involving online sexual exploitation of children.
The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) was also instrumental in breaking the backbone of numerous syndicated criminal activities engaged in online financial fraud from local and offshore boiler room operations.
“The aggressive stance of PNP in support of national policy against drug trafficking and abuse has successfully severed the supply chain of illegal drugs with the busting of foreign-led drug syndicates operating in the Philippines,” PGen Azurin noted.
The Top Cop also had the opportunity to talk with Sir Junever Mahilum-West, the Ambassador of the Philippines to France on some domestic issues and concerns of the local Filipino community in France, and how to address such.
