Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the Study

In investigating and solving a crime is not just a blink of an eye. It needs a thorough

investigation to prevent miscarriage of law which affects both the victims and the accused. Police

officers are not robots that in an instant can detect what, when, where the crime happens and

who made it. There are many problems or conflicts that can be an obstructions to investigate

and solve crimes wherein the justice is always delayed.

Access to information is probably the largest problem investigators face during cross-

border investigations. By the time investigators travel to the investigation destination, the

information/evidence could be destroyed. The KPMG report discusses the fact that document

and information retention laws are different than those in North America – if they are even in

existence at all. Investigators need consent before accessing information located overseas. In

some countries, data can’t be transported out of the country at all (Gerard, 2019).

The United Nations’ top human rights body voted on Thursday to examine thousands of

alleged extrajudicial police killings linked to President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs in the

Philippines, a campaign that rights groups around the world have denounced as a lawless

atrocity. The United Nations’ 47-member Human Rights Council supported a resolution

advanced by Iceland that turned a spotlight on wide-ranging abuses, including killings, enforced

disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and persecution of rights activists, journalists, lawyers and

members of the political opposition. Despite fierce opposition from Philippine officials, 18

countries backed the resolution, while 14 opposed it and 15 others abstained. The Philippine

foreign minister, Teodoro Locsin, in a statement read by his ambassador in Geneva, denounced
the resolution as a travesty of human rights that came “straight from the mouth of the queen in

Alice in Wonderland.” The resolution stops short of setting up a full-fledged commission of

inquiry, but calls on the United Nations human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, to prepare a

comprehensive report for delivery to the council in a year’s time. That would set the stage for

tougher follow-up action if abuses continued unabated, diplomats said (Cumming-Bruce, 2019).

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Police tagged on Wednesday a criminal group earlier linked

to a local terrorist cell in Sunday's bomb attack here that left eight people wounded. Chief Supt.

Eliseo Rasco, regional director of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-12, said in a press

conference investigators are looking at the Nilong Group as behind the bomb blast in front of the

Bonita Lying-in Clinic in Makar junction, Barangay Apopong here. Rasco said they already

identified the alleged suspects but declined to give further details due to the ongoing

investigation of the composite Special Investigation Task Group "Bonita." "We already have a

name and we also identified the group. We have good developments right now as far as the

investigation is concerned," the police official said. Rasco presented during the press conference

the computerized facial composite of an unnamed suspect, based on accounts by at least two

witnesses. The suspect was about 35 to 40-years-old, weighs 55-57 kilograms, has brown

complexion, curly hair and was last seen at the site wearing a multi-color dominant red sweatshirt

and multi-color dominant red cargo pants. He was accompanied by another person who was

then wearing a black ski mask, black sweatshirt, and black pants. The first suspect was

reportedly the driver of the black motorcycle that stopped near the blast site while the second

was the one who left the brown eco-bag that contained the explosive. The Nilong Group, which

reportedly originated and previously based in Barangay Lumakil in Polomolok, South Cotabato,

emerged two years ago after being linked by authorities to a robbery, illegal drug trafficking, gun-

for-hire, and other criminal activities in the area. The group was allegedly allied with Sarangani-
based terror group Ansar Al-Khilafah Philippines (AKP), which was part of the local network of

the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group. Rasco confirmed that the group had merged with the

remnants of the AKP, whose leader, Tokboy Maguid, was killed in an encounter with joint

operatives in Kiamba, Sarangani in January last year. "Yes, that's the same group," he later told

reporters. As to the motive of the blast, the official said it could have been due to a "personal

grudge," specifically a family-related conflict involving the lying-in clinic's owner. "The Nilong

Group could have been hired to stage the attack," he said. This indicated, he said, that Sunday's

bombing was not related to the Aug. 28 and Sept. 2 bomb explosions in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat

that killed five people and injured more than 40 others. City Mayor Ronnel Rivera said he is

satisfied with the progress of the ongoing investigation into the blast. "We're happy that there

are results already and hopefully they will lead to the arrest of the suspects," Rivera said. "Rest

assured that we're doing everything, not only for the arrest of the suspects but also in terms of

the implementation of proactive security measures to prevent similar attacks from happening

again," he added (Estabillo, 2018).

Statement of the Problem

The main concern with this study is to determine whether there is a significant relationship

of problems encountered by police investigators and the percentage of solved cases in General

Santos City. Specifically, this study aimed to provide answers to the following questions:

1. What are the problems encountered by police investigators?

2. What is the percentage of the solved cases in General Santos City?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the problems encountered by police

investigators and the percentage of solved cases in General Santos City?

Hypothesis

There is a significant relationship between the problems encountered by police

investigators and percentage of solved cases in General Santos City.

Conceptual Framework of the Study

This study aimed to find out whether a significant relationship in present between the

problems encountered by police investigators and the solved cases in General Santos City. The

conceptual framework presents the two variables involved in this study. Objectively, problems

encountered by police investigators is the independent variable and percentage of solved cases. Figure

1 shows the conceptual framework of the study.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Problems
Percentage of Solved
encountered by
Cases
Police Investigators

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Significance of the Study

This is believed to be significant to the following persons:

Police Station Officers of G.S.C. This study can be significant in helping or giving aid

to the usual problems that can be encountered by the police investigators.

Community. This study can be significant for them to be updated and knowledgeable to

the problems that are encountered by police investigators.

Future Researchers. This study will be a guide for them how to understand and have a

better research.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study is limited only in determining the problems encountered by the police

investigators and percentage of solved cases in General Santos City. This study did not

include personal problems of police in investigating a crime.

Definition of Terms

In order for this study be more comprehensive, the following terms were defined

conceptually and operationally or as to how they are used in this study.

Problems. Refers to the conflicts that are obstructions in investigating a crime.

Percentage. It refers to the percentage of the solved cases in General Santos City.

Personal Problems. Conflicts in investigating a crime that is personal and not included

in the study.