BUILDING A VIOLENT CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM IN THE PHILIPPINES

BUILDING A VIOLENT CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM IN THE PHILIPPINES

There’s an old saying that goes, “If it works, why reinvent the wheel?” But I’d add — if it works elsewhere, why not build our own version that fits our needs? That’s the idea behind the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) in the United States — and something I believe we urgently need in the Philippines.

For those unfamiliar, ViCAP is a centralized database managed by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It collects and analyzes information on violent crimes — murders, sexual assaults, missing persons with suspected foul play, and even unidentified remains. What makes it powerful is not just its data, but its design: it can detect patterns across cases that appear unrelated. For example, if two crimes committed hundreds of miles apart show similar behavior or methods, ViCAP can flag those links, helping investigators connect the dots and identify serial offenders.

Now, let’s look at our own backyard. Here in the Philippines, we have the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and specialized units like the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) — all doing their best to solve crimes with the resources they have. But the truth is, our crime data systems are fragmented. Each region has its own files, formats, and processes. There is no national behavioral analysis database or linkage system for violent crimes.

So what happens? A murderer or rapist can commit crimes in multiple provinces — and unless someone manually compares the details, nobody might realize it’s the same person. Some crimes become cold cases. Some are forgotten. And some criminals keep getting away with it.

Isn’t that unfair — both to victims and to our law enforcers?

Our police investigators and prosecutors are often expected to deliver results with minimal tools. But how can they connect patterns or prove cases efficiently when the data isn’t centralized or easily searchable? I think it’s time we fix that.

We already have the infrastructure. Most police stations are now online, and even in remote areas, we can store or transmit reports via mobile signal or satellite. We have plenty of talented Filipino programmers and developers who could build such a system — securely, affordably, and in compliance with local data privacy laws. If we can’t use the FBI’s software (and we don’t need to), then why not build our own Philippine Violent Crime Database (PVCD) or something similar?

Imagine a system where the PNP, NBI, and DOJ share a common platform. A murder in Cagayan de Oro, a missing person in Baguio, and an assault in Iloilo could all be analyzed in one network. Artificial intelligence could scan the reports for similarities — weapons used, timing, victim profiles, patterns of movement. Forensic data could be tagged. Barangay-level case logs could feed into regional systems, all linked up securely to the national level.

And we could go further. Why not make the logs tamper-proof using blockchain-based documentation? That would help prevent data manipulation, lost evidence, or record falsification.

We could also use the system to monitor behavioral case mapping, which would give policymakers insights into why and where violent crimes are happening — so prevention, not just reaction, becomes part of the system.

This would not only strengthen criminal investigations but also boost accountability and restore public confidence in law enforcement.

It’s worth asking: How many serial offenders might already be out there, undetected, simply because our data systems can’t connect the dots?

ViCAP in the U.S. has been operational for decades. It has helped solve thousands of cases, including long-cold ones. The Philippines deserves no less. We have the brains, we have the need, and increasingly, we have the connectivity.

What’s missing is leadership and vision.

If the PNP doesn’t have the budget to outsource such a project, their in-house IT units could collaborate with universities or even private volunteers — cybersecurity experts, data scientists, forensic specialists. I, for one, would gladly volunteer to help conceptualize it.

After all, building a Philippine version of ViCAP isn’t about copying the Americans. It’s about giving our own police the tools they deserve — and our citizens the justice they’re owed.

As a nation, we can’t keep letting violent crimes vanish into the fog of bureaucracy and fragmented data. It’s time to bring clarity, coordination, and technology into the fight.

Let’s build it.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 04-24-2026

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