TOTAL crime incidents in Cebu rose by 13.57 percent, or from 9,656 from January to June 2018, to around 10,966 in the same period this year.
Prevalent crimes that contributed to the rise in total incidents in the province were theft, robbery, carnapping and physical injuries.
These were among the crime situation updates the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) had raised before 34 mayors who were present during the first general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Cebu Chapter.
The LMP held the first session of its partners for change series on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019. It kicked off with a discussion on the status of public infrastructure and peace and order safety in the province.
In his presentation, Police Major Gerard Ace Pelare, chief of the Provincial Investigation and Detection Management Branch, said they recorded a significant increase in petty crimes from January to June 2019.
The province’s total crime incidents are divided into two sub-categories: peace and order index and the public safety index.
Crimes related to peace and order rose by 13 percent, or from 5,539 from January to June 2018, to around 6,259 in the same period this year.
Pelare said the peace and order category is further divided into index and non-index crimes.
Index crimes, as defined by the Philippine National Police, involve crimes against persons like murder, homicide, physical injury and rape and crimes against property like robbery, theft, carnapping/carjacking and cattle rustling.
Non-index crimes, on the other hand, are violations of special laws, such as illegal logging, or local ordinances.
Index crimes in Cebu rose by 8.8 percent, or from 2,079 from January to June 2018, to 2,262 in the same period this year.
“Our analysis is that since there are recorded slight increases in theft and robbery, these may be indicative of the reemergence of illegal drug activities because the suspects of these crimes are users. When they run out of funds to support their vice, they resort to petty crimes. Physical injuries are common crimes when there is trouble during fiestas, among others,” Pelare said.
Non-index crimes, on the other hand, rose by 15.52 percent, or from 3,460 in the six months of 2018, to 3,997 in the same period this year.
In the area of public safety, Pelare said they also observed a slight increase in the number of traffic-related accidents in the province.
The public safety index rose by 14.33 percent, or from 4,117 from January to June 2018, to around 4,707 in the same period this year.
As an offshoot, the CPPO has started conducting traffic investigation seminars for all its chief investigators.
“We also suggest that you (mayors) consider programs that will help decrease the number of traffic (-related) accidents. Maybe passing a resolution for stricter enforcement against traffic violations, conduct checkpoints in order to decrease the commission of that negligence,” Pelare said.
But despite the slight increase in index crimes suspected to have links with illegal drug activities, CPPO Director Roderick Mariano said the war on drugs remains “sustainable.”
“January to June 2019 was covered by the (May) election period. That’s why our operations slightly decreased because the police had to concentrate also on the election period since it was a national and local elections. But now that the election period has ended, we’re now increasing our operations in the next quarter of the year,” he said.
The CPPO conducted 1,202 anti-illegal drug operations from January to June this year.
These operations led to the confiscation of 20,882.5 grams of shabu and 483,607 grams of marijuana, with a total Dangerous Drugs Board value of P168.5 million.
Among the measures the CPPO has taken to ensure public order and safety are the launching of discipline zones and the regular conduct of “Kabataan Kontra Droga at Terorismo” seminars. Both programs are in partnership with local government units.
Mariano said they will also visit elementary, secondary and tertiary schools to help students become “good and law-abiding” citizens.
He assured, though, that it will not be a cover for monitoring student activities, especially in universities and colleges.
“The reason why we’re going there is to educate our students. We will give them awareness on our causes, such as our campaign against illegal drugs, criminality, but not to monitor them. Reports of insurgency and recruiting students in Cebu are just rumors,” Mariano said. (RTF)