The Philippine National Police (PNP) has arrested more than 78,000 in its wanted persons list over the past 12 months.

In a news release on Saturday, PNP chief, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said that based on the consolidated assessment report of the Directorate for Operations as of Dec. 7, a total of 78,293 individuals were arrested.

During the same period, 2,940 members of organized crime groups were rounded up and 381 were neutralized, 162 criminal group members surrendered, and 369 firearms were confiscated.

The report likewise said 2,440 members of the communist terrorist groups surrendered to authorities with renewed hopes to become productive members of mainstream society, 17 guerilla fronts were dismantled, and 1,133 firearms were confiscated or surrendered.

Azurin said the accomplishments against communist terrorist groups and their support systems were clear manifestations of the strong partnership of PNP, other government agencies, local government units, and stakeholders who willingly extended full support to the implementation of Executive Order No. 70 that created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in 2018.

The PNP also netted 32,441 loose firearms, with 9,724 individuals arrested and 4,930 cases filed in court.

In other non-index crime cases, the police apprehended 3,135 for illegal logging, 29,572 for illegal fishing, and 103,159 for illegal gambling.

“I commend our hardworking PNP personnel who made each police operation successful. Indeed, this triumph only implies that PNP is performing what we promised to the President and the Filipino people. In my term as 28th Chief PNP, I will intensify more our police presence in the community to reduce crime, corruption, illegal drugs, insurgency, and terrorism as well as most wanted persons who are fugitives from justice and who continue to pose threats to peace and order in our country,” Azurin said. (PNA)

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