PNoy transfers transnational crime center back to his office

To ensure a more coordinated action against transnational crimes, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has signed Executive Order 35 directing the return of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) to his office. The PCTC was created in 1999 to formulate and implement a concerted program of action of all law enforcement and intelligence agencies, in coordination with other government agencies, for the prevention and control of transnational crime. It was initially placed under the Office of the President, under the control and supervision of the National Police Commission. But in 2008, under the EO 735, the control and supervision of PCTC has been placed under the Department of the Interior and Local Government. “In order to ensure the effective implementation of government efforts in combating transnational crimes, there is an urgent need to return to the Office of the President the direct control and supervision over PCTC," EO 35 stated. It further said the government needs to enhance the coordination between its departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities for a “whole of government" approach towards a more efficient, coordinated, collaborative, and synergized effort against organized transnational criminal activity. “(The government also needs) to link national efforts with international agencies and institutions directly involved in the global campaign against transnational crime," the EO also said. Combating transnational crimes had been one of the agenda of President Aquino in his recent visits to Indonesia and Singapore. “There seems to be migration from their place (Indonesia) to ours and ours to them, so (there has to be a) greater cooperation between the two countries in the fight against global terrorism," Aquino said in an earlier interview. — LBG, GMA News