Marawi LGU, law enforcement making strides in strong governance

I am writing this letter to send you the reply of the local government unit of Marawi to your editorial entitled Drugs in Marawi which was published last Aug. 27.

The recent drug bust in Marawi City accomplished by the joint efforts of the Marawi LGU, PNP, PDEA and the AFP is a triumphant feat in the history of anti-crime efforts in the city. Marawi City had once a notorious reputation for being a place for drug transactions and drug-related crimes, among others, which had tarnished its reputation and hampered its economic and social development.

However, as a new administration under Mayor Majul Gandamra took charge, it saw anticrime activities and community safety as a major issue to be addressed. The administration has even gone as far as confiscating and destroying video karera machines as these were used for gambling activities.

Post-Marawi siege, the administration made it a point that community-level safety was of utmost importance, given what had befallen the city. To address this, BPA training and support were strengthened, even to the farthest of the city barangays, in order to coordinate and assist the PNP and the AFP in their task of keeping Marawi City safe. As a result, many suspicious happenings were reported and even suspicious personalities connected to the siege were apprehended.

Statistics gathered by the local PNP and the LGU show a sharp drop in the number of index crimes, non-index crimes, and crime volume in the city in 2017 compared to the previous year.

This implies that after 2016, the new administration had made great strides in addressing the problem of crimes and generally effected good and strong governance in Marawi City. The recent drug bust is an additional testament to this.

The Marawi LGU, the AFP, PNP, and allied law enforcement agencies are committed to good governance through anti-crime measures and initiatives in order to create not only a safe environment for the city residents, but to also create a peaceful and orderly venue for investment and other economic activities.

We are hoping that this reply will be published as soon as possible in order to correct or clear the allegations written in the abovementioned article. – Johara G. Tanggote, CPA, City Information Officer, Marawi City