Aseanapol adopting proposals vs transnational crimes

MANILA, Philippines - The heads of national police forces of ASEAN member-countries are adopting proposals of the International Criminal Police Organization-International Police (ICPO-Interpol) to combat transnational criminal threats.

At the 34th ASEANAPOL closing ceremony at the Sofitel hotel yesterday, they also agreed to adopt a plan of action for joint response to crisis situations and address transnational criminal threats, specifically in Southeast Asia, said Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima.

A joint communiqué ratified by the delegates encourages all ASEANAPOL members to share regional knowledge and skills to deal with specific crime areas of terrorism, human trafficking and drug trafficking. Purisima said ASEANAPOL member-agencies were also urged to actively contribute to and use Interpol’s data bases and support the Southeast Asia Foreign Fighters Project, an initiative of Interpol’s Fusion Task Force to address the increasing number of transnational or foreign fighters joining terrorist affiliated factions in conflict zones.

Interpol has maintained the status as a dialogue partner of ASEANAPOL in its annual conferences.

Meanwhile, the PNP and the Russian police are working for an expanded cooperation, especially on transnational crime, following the rescue of Russian women working in red light districts in Pasay City.

Purisima said Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation Police Colonel General Vladimir Kolokoltsev expressed desire to cooperate with the PNP on the matter during the conference.

Kolokoltsev invited Purisima to an exhibition in October of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ latest equipment from the world’s leading producer of police gear and equipment. Purisima said the ASEANAPOL achieved several milestones for peace and security in the Southeast Asian region.

“With the joint communiqué, we have crafted and agreed to move forward with greater confidence and commitment as one strong and united body against threats to peace and security in our region,” he said.

He said other concerns of the ASEANAPOL conference held from May 12 to 15 were cyber crime, child pornography and other Internet-related crimes.