Monday, April 16, 2007 Crimes drop by 313 in Jan-March By Mia E. Abellana Sun.Star Staff Reporter
FOR the first quarter, the Cebu Provincial Police Office saw a decrease in crime volume compared to the same period last year.
According to a briefing presented during the Regional Peace and Order Council meeting last Friday, the CPPO posted a crime volume of 834, compared to 1,147 crimes in 2006.
Of the 834 incidents, 567 were index crimes, or crimes against persons and property.
Theft made up 190 of the 567 index crimes, while physical injuries made up 182.
There were 104 robberies, including that of a rural bank in Minglanilla town, 48 murders, 23 rape incidents and 20 homicide cases in the first quarter.
128 crimes unsolved
Though the crime volume decreased this year, crime solution efficiency decreased by two percent.
In 2006, crime solution efficiency was at 86.3 percent while this year, it was at 84.6 percent.
There were 157 unsolved crimes last year while this year, there were 128.
However, the average monthly crime rate reduced to 11 crimes a month compared to last year, which saw an average of 16 crimes a month.
For the coming elections, the CPPO recommends that elements of the 78th Infantry Battalion (IB) be tapped to augment security requirements of the PNP.
There is a limited number of PNP personnel to secure polling centers in interior barangays in mid-north Cebu.
They also want polling centers in insurgent-affected barangays to be clustered or relocated to safer areas.
The CPPO is requesting the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) 7 to augment the CPPO personnel in Bantayan Island, which has been placed as an election area of concern.
Since the Commission on Elections imposed a nationwide gun ban in January, the CPPO was able to conduct 40 operations against illegal firearms, arrest 45 persons, file 46 cases and seize 78 firearms and explosives.
In the fight against illegal drugs, they conducted 84 operations, arrested 110 persons, file 80 cases and seized a total of P169,055 worth of illegal drugs.
As for illegal gambling operations, the CPPO maintains there are no jueteng operations in Cebu Province.
However, they acknowledged the presence of “small-time masiao and video carrera operators who have reportedly resorted to guerilla tactics after the CPPO declared an all-out campaign against all forms of illegal gambling.”
“Chiefs of police are required to submit a certification to be signed by them and their respective mayors, parish priests and an NGO representative that their municipalities and cities are gambling-free (as of) last March 29, 2007,” the briefing handout stated.
