SAN JOSE, Antique – With the exception of murder, reported cases of index crimes in Antique have decreased this year, according to the Antique Police Provincial Office.
Police described index crimes as those with “physical confrontation.”
“Almost all index crimes, except only for murder, really had (a) significant decrease from January to November this year,” said Superintendent Norby Escobar, APPO deputy director for operations.
Only 17 cases of homicide were reported to the police over the 11-month period this year compared to 26 in the same period last year.
But murder cases this year reached 40 – up from 37 last year. Escobar described this as a “slight increase.”
Most of these murders happened in remote barangays and involved drunken suspects and victims, Escobar said.
Other than that, all the other index crimes posted lower cases this year than last year. They are as follows:
* physical injury – 124 this year, from 211 last year
* rape – 34, from 45
* robbery – 14, from 29
* theft – 27, from 60
* motorcycle theft – four, from five
Escobar attributed the drop in the cases of index crimes to their campaign against loose firearms, establishment of checkpoints, and drive against illegal drugs.
Moreover, he put the APPO’s crime clearance efficiency this year at 91.48 percent, compared to 90.96 percent in 2017. (With PNA/PN)
