THE Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (Noppo) reported a lower crime rate in 2015 compared to that in 2014.
In a Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting on Wednesday, Police Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos of Noppo reported a total crime volume of 9,979 for January to December 2015 with 3,179 index crimes and 6,800 non-index crimes.
Carlos said that index crimes decreased by 559 incidents or 15.86 percent, while non-index crimes reduced by 592 incidents or 9.54 percent.
The most prevalent index crime is theft with 1,441 incidents or a reduction of 14 percent, followed by physical injury with 693 incidents or seven percent, robbery with 447, murder with 182 incidents, carnapping with 170, homicide with 54, and cattle rustling with 44 incidents.
Carlos said the number of traffic-related incidents and damage of property with 3,813 or 38 percent contributed much to the crime statistics, while the prevalent non-index crimes or the violation of special laws recorded 1,632 incidents or contributed 16 percent of the total crime volume.
He said the crime solution efficiency (CSE) in the province had increased to 4.25 percent and the crime clearance efficiency (CCE) to 4.13 percent.
CSE refers to the crimes solved with the suspects arrested, while CCE means the suspects have been identified but not arrested.
In a checkpoint operation, for violating the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban, Carlos said that two persons were arrested in Guihulngan City and Basay town.
For non-index crimes or offenses punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Laws, such as enforcement on Republic Act (RA) 9165 or Anti-Illegal Drugs campaign, 304 drug personalities were arrested and 1,424.03 grams of shabu and 1,640.18 grams of marijuana were confiscated with a total value of more than P16 million.
Under RA 9287, or campaign against illegal gambling, the police force arrested 176 persons with total bet money confiscated at P112,574.85.
For the campaign against loose firearms or RA 8294, the Philippine National Police arrested 100 persons and recovered and confiscated 247 firearms.
Carlos cited that Negros Oriental remains to be one of the most peaceful places in Negros Island Region. (Jennifer C. Tilos/PIA)