SOC joins 'Oplan: Lambat-Sibat'

Photo by: Dr. Shirley Domingo
PO2 Sheryl Calimag discusses Oplan: Lambat-Sibat
with 3rd year Criminology Students at IMC, JVP Bldg.

Third-year Criminology students of the University of Cagayan Valley (UCV), along with their advisers, attended a seminar on the 'Oplan: Lambat-Sibat' program spearheaded by the Intelligence Division of the Cagayan Provincial Police Office (CPPO) last Feb. 11, 2016 at the Instructional Media Center (IMC), Judge Ventura Perez Building, UCV Balzain campus, Tuguegarao City.

The program, where aims to inform participants of their role in curbing crime by being vigilant of criminality in their communities, and to develop camaraderie between PNP and the people to reinforce peace and unity 'among fellowmen.'

Criminology adviser Alexander Urbano, a participant in the event says that the program helps the students to "prevent crimes, boost their morale, and have a positive image."

Criminology student Orlando Pammittan, another participant, considers the program as "an advance training" for students who aspire to be police officers in the future.

Membership cards with emergency hotlines were distributed to the participants during the seminar.

Photo by: Dr. Shirley Domingo
Third-year Criminology students listen to PO2 Calimag's
lecture on Oplan: Lambat Sibat, at IMC, JVP Bldg.

Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG) defines Oplan: Lambat-Sibat as "a deliberate, programmatic, and sustained approach taken by the Philippine National Police to combat criminality nationwide. It uses both wide dragnet and intel-targeted operations to catch small-time criminals and repeat offenders, under the "whole of PNP" approach."

The program, recently declared by PNP Chief Gen. Ricardo Marquez to be implemented nationwide, covers three dimensions: deliberate , programmatic, and sustained approaches.

'Deliberate' and systematic approaches include increased number of checkpoints, mobile and beat patrols, proportional or 'tailor-fit' deployment of units in areas with high crime rates, Oplan Bulabog, Oplan Katok, Oplan Bakal/Sita, and an intensified serving of of warrants of arrest.

Second, 'programmatic' approaches include unified target lists of criminals, 'one-team, one-target' in which teams are organized to take down individual targets, and intelligence-driven action and coordination.

Lastly, 'sustained' approaches cover community involvement and an institutionalization of the program in the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) and the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) to ensure its practicability in the country.

Philippine National Police says that the program's 'effectiveness' has been proven in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Region 4-A.

ByVivienCathleenDiaz