Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo will head the new 17-man National Anti-Crime Council (NACC) that will coordinate and consolidate government actions and responses to national crimes, Malacanang announced yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said that under a draft executive order creating the anti-crime body and now being finalized by President Arroyo, Romulo will be assisted by nine Cabinet members and seven representatives from the private sector.

"The idea here is to form a comprehensive approach to the crime problem," he said, adding that all other task forces against crime will be consolidated.

"The position of the government was not to create any more bodies against crime because these might encroach on regular police functions," he added.

Romulo will be assisted by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. as vice chairman, along with the secretaries of justice, foreign affairs, transportation and communication, finance, agriculture, and environment and natural resources, and the national security adviser as members.

At least seven representatives from the private sector will also be named to the anti-crime council -- two from the ChineseFilipino community, three from non-government organizations, one each from the business and Muslim sectors. …