WHILE Cagayan de Oro City ranked number 1 in crime volume in Northern Mindanao Region for this year, crime rate in the region has dropped, an official of Police Regional Office (PRO) told reporters during the PNP Press Corps fellowship night at Camp Vicente Alagar in Barangay Lapasan on December 14.
PRO Northern Mindanao deputy regional operation division Police Superintendent Isaias Bacurnay said Cagayan de Oro posted crime volume at 10,254 from January to November this year.
Trailing Cagayan de Oro is Bukidnon with 8,008, Misamis Oriental at 6,302, Lanao del Norte at 2,998, Misamis Occidental at 2,951, Iligan City at 2,848, and Camiguin at 395.
Bacurnay said crime volume in Northern Mindanao has dropped at 33,756 compared to the same period last year, which posted 44,091.
Crime distribution showed that theft has the highest cases with 7,018, robbery (2,400), physical injuries (1,962), carjacking (803), murder (553), rape (398), cattle rustling (177), and homicide (135).
PRO Northern Mindanao regional director Chief Superintendent Lyndel Desquitado thanked the community and even the media as they successfully curbed the crime rate in the region.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa community at sa media sa suporta sa ating mga police sa pagpapatupad ng peace sa ating rehiyon (We thank the community and the media for supporting the police in implementing peace in the region),” Desquitado said.
PRO Northern Mindanao also boasts its accomplishment this year citing the arrest of Martilyo Gang leader Glenn Tayrus in Ozamiz City, arrest of Abdul Malik Sali, a member of Alkhobar terror group during the conduct of checkpoint, the arrest of 12 New People’s Army members, among others.
P50M worth of illegal drugs seized
In the campaign against loose firearms, Bacurnay said PRO Northern Mindanao confiscated 307 firearms, recovered 56 firearms, 23 firearms surrendered, 373 persons arrested and 312 cases filed.
PRO Northern Mindanao also confiscated marijuana and shabu worth more than P50 million.
“With our relentless efforts to combat criminalities and the active involvement of the stakeholders and the community in general, Northern Mindanao will still continue to enjoy a much safer place to live, invest, visit and work,” Bacurnay said.