President Benigno S. Aquino III presides over a command conference Wednesday, May 8, 2013 inside the Presidential Situation Room in Malacanang. The conference focuses on the ensuring that all systems are in place for the May 13 polls. Present in the conference are DILG Sec Mar Roxas, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and heads of PNP and AFP. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Benigno Aquino III will not relieve from their posts Interior Sec. Mar Roxas and Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima over the crime problem in the country, a Palace official said Thursday.
“Patuloy silang pinagkakatiwalian ng Pangulo,” Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said in response to the call of the Violence Against Crime and Corruption for the removal of Roxas and Purisima.
VACC founding chair Dante Jimenez said the two officials failed to prevent the increase in crime in the country.
Malacañang had earlier contested the VACC’s claim that criminality worsened during the Aquino administration.
On Thursday, Coloma thanked the group for sending proposals to address the crime problem.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa komunikasyon ng VACC sa Pangulo at sa kanilang pagbibigay ng panukala para mabawasan at masabat ang kriminalidad,” he said. (MNS)