Bicol Philippine National Police (PNP) regional director Chief Supt. Rodolfo Asel Tor has directed all police provincial offices and chiefs of police (COPS) to give more efforts to solving crimes, establish closer linkages with communities to seek greater involvement of citizens in the campaign against the drug menace and effect efficient measures to pre-empt the commission of crimes and stay the rise of criminality in the region.

Tor, bouyed by the dramatic rise of the Bicol police regional office to the top three among all police offices nationwide, told police officials to continue the good work now being done by them.

"We can yet be number one," he exhorted the police officials.

The crime solution efficiency of the police regional office rated 90% from a Camp Crame management audit team that also found out that index crimes in the region had dropped to a perceptible low while implementation of national police rules and regulations rose to a noticeable high.

But what also gave rise to its rank among all police regional offices were the arrests of wanted persons and fugitives listed in the police order of battle and in the rosters of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM)regionwide, particularly the end of Bicol's no.1 most wanted criminal, Julito Leozala, alias "Kumander Awa."

Leozala, a former military intelligence officer turned criminal, had been considered a "Robin Hood" in Sorsogon and Albay (because he robbed from the rich reportedly to give to the poor like the story-book hero.)

He was killed in a shoot-out with police in his hide-out with his 16-year-old live-in partner by Pilar, Sorsogon policemen and regional intelligence operatives last Christmas eve in Donsol, Sorsogon.

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