MANILA - The Philippine National Police (PNP) has given its approval to Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla's proposal to extend the government's witness protection program to law enforcer witnesses.

"The PNP high command supports DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla's pronouncements to amend some provisions of Republic Act No. 6981 or 'The Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act' to include law enforcement officers in the government's Witness Protection Program, especially those who may be called to testify in government-initiated investigations," PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said in a statement Saturday.

He, however, said the PNP will continue to provide any possible assistance to ensure the availability of police witnesses to DOJ investigations.

This includes ongoing investigation of some police operations carried out in the implementation of the anti-illegal drugs campaign.

As this developed, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba urged the public to be more vigilant in reporting crime incidents to authorities.

"The PNP has always acknowledged the crucial role that the citizens play in keeping peace and order in the community. Recently, two ladies who were allegedly abducted by a Chinese national in Pasay City, were immediately rescued after residents in the area reported the incident to Pasay City Police," he said.

Alba said the Chinese national was arrested and the PNP is now investigating the incident.

He also said the police officers immediately responded to an attempted abduction of Malaysian national in Bamban, Tarlac after a security guard reported the incident to the PNP.

"The crime was foiled and the five suspects were arrested. These two incidents happened recently, and we commend the vigilance of our citizens and the immediate response of PNP units," he added.

Azurin said the participation of citizens in these incidents shows the willingness of the public to be a part in crime resolution.

"The participation of the citizens in crime reporting including the information shared by netizens in social media of crime incidents are manifestations that every member in the community in all sectors are responding to our call to help restore law and order, and that the citizens are willing to participate in keeping the peace and security in their community," he added.

Azurin said they appreciate the growing interest of the citizens in reporting the incidents on social media and to the PNP.

"For the netizens, we urge you to be more responsible in sharing and posting false information in social media as some might be fake news or made-up incidents only. We have existing laws that cover fake news and information that "endanger public order, or cause damage to the interest or credit of the State" (Revised Penal Code Article 154). We have ordered the PNP Anti Cybercrime Group to investigate those who continue to spread fake news," Azurin said.

He added that the PNP will not be distracted by fake news and will continue to work harder.

"We have instructed all unit commanders to remain visible in areas where crimes are likely to happen. We will continue to build a closer relationship with the community and stakeholders, as they are one of our reliable partners in addressing security concerns," Azurin said.

Azurin said they have observed heightened public awareness and attention to matters of personal security, stimulating citizen cooperation to community peace and order initiatives.

He was referring to the community support that led to the early solution of two separate rape incidents in Pila, Laguna and Bustos, Bulacan.

"Although these cases had long been solved, social media reports of these incidents had been recycled and rehashed lately, unduly fueling public hysteria over a non-existent wave of crime. The missing Grade 8 student earlier feared to have been kidnapped in school in GMA, Cavite has been located by police in a nearby town and has been reunited with his parents," Azurin said.

And as more online reports of alleged crime incidents are validated and fact-checked for truthfulness, more such patterns of false reporting are being uncovered.

"Nonetheless, every report, whether factual or untrue, has kept police units on their toes to dig deeper into each case. Investigative procedures are exhaustively followed even if the probe leads to a conclusion of a false report such as in the case of a Caloocan City girl who initially claimed to have been a victim of an attempted abduction. The girl's family later apologized to the community for their daughter's antics of making up a story about a white van snatching children," he said.

Azurin said authorities of Barangay 162 of Sta. Quiteria, Caloocan City also belied a similar tale of purported abduction.

He said false stories have been filtered while validated reports had been acted upon with dispatch and eventually solved with charges filed against arrested suspects.

"My instruction to all PNP units is to treat every report with diligent urgency regardless of the underlying circumstances and available information. After all, the truth will be eventually revealed as the investigation progresses," Azurin said. (With reports from Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA)