MANILA – Public trust and respect for the Caloocan City police increased even as the overall rating for Metro Manila officers declined, results of a National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) survey showed.

This despite outrage triggered by several incidents last year involving Caloocan City police officers, including the controversial killings of teens Kian Delos Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman.

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The survey, conducted from October to November 2017, showed that the Caloocan City police received the highest approval ratings in terms of quality of police response, public trust and respect, lifestyle, moral and ethics, public safety, as well as public support.

The city's cops recorded an 88.8 percent trust rating, higher than its 65 percent rating in 2016. It also earned the highest score in terms of quality of police response with an 88.8 percent rating, a jump from 54 percent in 2016.

Caloocan police also scored the highest rating (88.6 percent) with regards to lifestyle, moral and ethics and in terms of public safety at 81.5 percent.

In terms of public support, Caloocan police earned an overwhelming 95.3 percent rating, up from 72.7 percent in 2016.

The surge in positive ratings come despite criticism hurled at the city's police over the teen deaths.

More than 60 Caloocan police officers were sacked following the killings while over 1,000 other city police officers underwent retraining.

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Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said he was not surprised that the Caloocan police topped the 2017 survey since policemen involved in the teen killings have already been sacked just before it was conducted.

“I expect that kasi may lessons learned na tayo so 'yun ang batayan ng bagong pulis na nilagay natin d'yan, magpakabait at magpakabuti sa kanilang performance of duty," he said.

"Hindi ako nagugulat pero masaya ako sa nangyari dahil justified 'yung ating action, decision,” he added.

The top cop also explained that prior to the controversies that hounded the Caloocan police, it had a good reputation in law enforcement.

“...Grabe 'yung kanilang aggressiveness sa drugs (anti-drug campaign) kaso lang sumobra 'yung gigil kaya nagkaroon ng pag-aabuso at pagkakamali,” he said.

MANDALUYONG, VALENZUELA COPS LEAST TRUSTED

Police from Mandaluyong City and Valenzuela City meanwhile emerged as the least trusted with equal ratings of 32.7 percent.

“I-remind natin 'yung COP (chief of police) sa Mandaluyong bakit sila least trusted na police station. Ako mismo, I will tell you frankly kahit na wala pa 'yang survey na 'yan, ako mismo hindi ako masyadong umaasa sa performance sa pulis ng Mandaluyong,” he said.

“'Yung performance nila sa anti-drug [campaign], medyo mahina, malamya kaya nakailang palit na ba tayo ng COP (chief of police) d'yan. Mababa 'yung performance nila when it comes to drugs,” he added.

Meanwhile, public trust and respect for the Metro Manila police in general declined to 47.5 percent from 50.7 percent. Still, perception of public safety increased to 53.5 percent from 42.1 percent.

Public support for Metro Manila police also increased, from 66.2 percent in 2016 to 77.4 percent.

The survey covered a total of 570 respondents from different cities across the metro aged 16 and above.

View the full Napolcom survey results here: