BACOLOD City – Every year police in this city aim to reduce crimes, particularly what they call the eight “focus crimes.”
These are also called index crimes, those committed against persons and properties, according to the Bacolod City Police Office.
The volume of the eight focus crimes reflect the actual peace and order situation of an area, said Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, BCPO director.
The BCPO recorded a 23.32 percent overall decline in crime volume from January to November this year.
There were 2,607 crime incidents during this period, down from 3,400 during the same period in 2017, figures the BCPO released on Thursday showed.
Index crimes dropped to 624 this year from 1,132 last year – a 44.88 percent reduction in number.
All incidents of focus crimes during the 11-month period this year have lowered, according to the BCPO.
Murder incidents reduced 42.11 percent; homicide, 65.38 percent; physical injury, 42.69 percent; rape, 31.76 percent; robbery, 44.9 percent; theft, 46 percent; carnapping, 85.71 percent; and motorcycle theft, 56.76 percent.
According to Ebreo, index crimes “affect individuals” and “alarm investors and tourists.”
“With the resources available, we do our best to reduce the index crimes and the crime volume in general,” he said.
Non-index crimes, or violations of special laws, were down, too, by 12.57 percent.
From 2,268 from January to November last year, there were 1,983 such crimes during the same period this year.
Meanwhile, police-initiated operations against various crimes increased during the said period, BCPO records showed.
Operations against illegal drugs rose 38.61 percent to 359 this year from 259 last year.
Those against illegal gambling were up 72.6 percent, and against illegal possession of firearms, 16 percent.
In addition, police conducted 582 operations that led to the arrest of 328 suspects.
Officers also arrested 1,006 suspects and seized P67,509.25 in cash in 349 operations against illegal gambling.
They filed 349 cases – 252 for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 and 97 for violation of Republic Act 9287 (the Act increasing penalties for illegal numbers games). (With Philippine Information Agency/PN)
