(UPDATED) THE crime rate in Central Visayas has decreased by 10 percent from January to August 2024, according to a report from the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The police report stated that from January to Aug. 31, 2024, crime incidents dropped from 2,635 in 2023 to 2,368.
In anti-drug operations conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the region, P374 million worth of illegal drugs were destroyed while 156 kilos (kgs.) of shabu and 17 kgs. of marijuana were confiscated.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Investigation and Detective Management Division head Col. Ireneo Dalogdog presented data during a Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting last Thursday, Sept. 19, showing a decline in eight major crimes in Central Visayas.
The crimes include murder, homicide, rape, robbery, theft, physical injury, motorcycle theft, and carnapping.
Reached by VoxPop Cebu, PRO 7 spokesperson Gerard Ace Pelare said the factors contributing to the drop in the region’s crime incidents are data-based and should be verified first.
In Cebu, the report includes data from the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, Mandaue City Police Office, Cebu City Police Office and Cebu Provincial Police Office.
Additionally, the broader Central Visayas region included reports from the Siquijor Provincial Police Office, Bohol Provincial Police Office, and Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO).
Negros Oriental reported an increase in crime incidents from 340 in 2023 to 358 this year; while Lapu-Lapu City had a significant decrease of 25 percent, from 164 to 123 reported cases.
During the meeting presided by RPOC chairman and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan, the report also presented a “crime clock” that records the time when the eight major crimes usually happened.
Majority of murders occurred between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m., while homicides were more common from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Physical injuries were frequently reported on weekends, particularly between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Rape incidents typically took place in residential areas from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Although robberies could happen at any time, most carnapping and motorcycle thefts occurred during weekends.
Anti-drugs
From January to August this year, the PDEA conducted a total of 3,901 anti-drug operations resulting in the arrest of 4,475 individuals.
The figure includes 81 high-value targets and two foreign nationals. The agency also rescued a total of 67 minors.
PDEA 7 Assistant Director George Alcovindas reported that around one-third of the barangays in Central Visayas (1,013 out of 3,003 barangays or 33.73 percent) were affected by illegal drugs.
The operations seized 156,241.78 grams (g.) of shabu, 17,351.72 g. of marijuana, and 205 ampoules of Nalbuphine, an injectable pain killer.
The next RPOC meeting is scheduled on Dec. 12, 2024. (DPC)
(Editors note: Reposted with updates)