BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN & ADRIAN P. NEMES III
The total crime volume in Negros Occidental went down by 34 percent last year, compared to 2019, provincial police deputy spokesperson, P/Lt. Abegael Donasco, said yesterday.
It reduced from 1,371 in 2019 to 892 last year, or lower by 478.
Index crimes, such as murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape, and crimes against persons, also dropped from 654 to 622 in the same period, or a reduction of 28 percent, Donasco also said.
Shooting incidents also decreased from 229 to 224 in the same period, while hacking incidents increased from 61 to 86, and stabbing from 75 to 90 cases, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office said.
Non-index crimes, such as the implementation of special laws, rose by 7.32 percent, the report added.
Donasco also said the average monthly crime rate dropped from 9.01 percent to 8.74 percent. Crime solution efficiency posted a slight reduction, from 76.9 percent to 75.6 percent.
In the campaign against illegal drugs, 867 suspects were arrested in 975 anti-drug operations conducted that resulted in the confiscation of millions of pesos worth of shabu and marijuana.
CRIMES IN BACOLOD DOWN 40%
Total crime incidents in Bacolod City dropped by 40 percent last year compared to 2019.
Records from the Bacolod City Police Office showed that there were 1,845 crimes recorded in 2019 while there were only 1,105 last year, or a reduction of 740.
But murder increased to 38 incidents last year, from 32 in 2019.
Crimes committed against persons and properties last year totaled 146, or at least 30 percent lower compared to 2019. BCPO recorded 113 index crimes last year and 259 in 2019.
Violations against special laws decreased to 846 incidents last year compared to 1,473 incidents in 2019, or a reduction of 42 percent.
The reduction of crime incidents is attributed to the limited movement of people during the lockdowns due to the pandemic, P/Lt. Col. Ariel Pico, BCPO spokesperson, said, adding the intensified police interventions also contributed to the decrease in crime occurrences.
To sustain the low crime rates, Pico said they will continue to intensify police visibility in major thoroughfares.
He added that the Bacolod police will beef up operations, especially against illegal drugs. The BCPO seized P42 million worth of illegal drugs last year in 342 operations.*
