CRIME rate in the region dropped, according to the Police Regional Office Cordillera (PRO–COR).
PRO–COR noted a 14.69 percent decrease in the total crime volume for the first half of 2019 or 2,672 incidents from January to May this year compared to the 3,132 incidents recorded at the same period in 2018.
During the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (RLECC) meeting held at the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), Police Colonel Homer Penecilla, head of the Operations and Plans Division of PRO–COR explained that index crimes increased by 17.35 percent from the 467 cases in 2018 to the 559 cases recorded this year. Index crimes pertain to crimes against persons and properties.
Non–index crimes, on the other hand, which includes violations of special laws decreased by 20.86 percent from the 2,670 cases recorded in 2018 to the 2,113 cases recorded this year.
Baguio City had the highest percentage of decrease in crime incidents with 32 percent from the 1,499 cases in 2018 to the 991 cases in 2019.
Apayao decreased by 30 percent from 70 last year to 44 cases this year. Ifugao had 29 percent decrease with 172 cases in 2018 to 122 in 2019.
Abra also decreased by 16 percent from the 267 cases in the first half of 2018 to the 224 cases in 2019. Mountain Province had nine percent decrease with 94 cases last year to the 86 cases recorded this year.
Kalinga recorded an eight percent decrease from 172 cases in 2018 to 122 cases this year.
Benguet recorded an increase of 13 percent with 879 cases in 2018 to 1,015 crime incidents this year.
Benguet Province and Baguio City reported the highest number of crime incidents while Apayao had the lowest with 49 incidents recorded.
On the comparative index crimes per province, Apayao listed the most decrease at 56 percent from 27 incidents in 2018 to 12 in 2019. Mountain Province recorded 23 percent with 22 incidents in 2018 to 17 this year, while Baguio City had a 16 percent decrease with 175 incidents in 2018 to 147 this year.
Kalinga recorded a three percent decrease from 36 incidents to 35 this year.
Benguet had the highest increase which was pegged at 58 percent from 102 incidents in 2018 to 241 this year. Ifugao had a seven percent increase from 41 incidents in 2018 to 44 this year, while Abra had six percent increase from 59 incidents in 2018 to 63 this year.
The index crime distribution for the period January to May of this year showed theft to be the most prevalent crimes committed in the region which had a 33.63 percent occurrence, followed by physical injuries at 29.7 percent, robbery at 14.31 percent, rape at 9.3 percent, murder at 6.44 percent, carnapping at 4.47 percent and homicide at 2.15 percent.
The report showed the region’s average monthly crime rate in 2019 is at 29.99 incidents per 100,000 population which decreased compared to the 35.16 percent in 2018.
The average monthly index crime rate increased from 5.18 percent last year to 6.27 percent this year.
Crime clearance efficiency decreased by 4.62 percent from 88.05 last year to 77.43 this year or 2,672 crime incidents recorded with 2,069 cleared.
The crime solution efficiency decreased by 6.88% from 74.20 percent in 2018 to 67.32 percent this year with 2,672 crime incidents recorded with 1,749 solved.
PRO-COR assessed index crimes particularly physical injuries, robbery and theft increased in the months of January to May this year which was attributed to the increased arrivals of local and foreign tourists visiting Baguio City and other tourists spots specifically La Trinidad, Benguet giving criminals the opportunity to conduct criminal acts.
It also suggested for Baguio City and La Trinidad to have a single curfew hour for drinking establishments to prevent drunk clients from bar hopping which leads to the opportunity for other crimes such as physical injuries, robbery including vehicular traffic accidents to be committed.