BACOLOD CITY — Rape topped the list of 264 focus crimes committed in Negros Occidental from January to May this year, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday, June 2.
The PNP report was presented at the second quarter of the Joint Provincial Peace and Order Council and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council meeting presided by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the social hall of the Negros Occidental capitol.
The PNP reported that of the eight focus crimes, there were 69 rape cases, followed by 66 theft cases, 57 murder cases, 27 robberies, 24 homicide cases, 12 physical injury cases, eight carnapping of motorcycles cases, and one case of carnapping of a motor vehicle.
Among 154 focus crimes committed in the cities of Negros Occidental, most of the crimes were in Kabankalan at 24, followed by San Carlos at 20, Cadiz at 19, Sagay at 16, Bago at 15, Himamaylan at 14, La Carlota at 142, Talisay at 11, Silay at seven, Sipalay at six, and both Escalante and Victorias at five.
The highest number of rape cases was in Sagay City, which had eight.
Meanwhile, among the 110 focus crimes committed in the towns of Negros Occidental, Murcia had the highest at 14, followed by Cauayan at 12; Calatrava at ten; Hinoba-an at eight; La Castellana at seven; Candoni, Moises Padilla, and Toboso at six; Ilog, Isabela, and Pontevedra at five; San Enrique, EB Magalona, and Valladolid at four; Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Manapla, and Pulupandan at three; and Salvador Benedicto at two.
Murcia town also had the most number of rape cases with a total of five.
The Negros Occidental police also reported that it conducted 349 drug operations from January to May 2023 and arrested 438 persons.
Seized were 1,234.039 grams of shabu and 1,453.262 grams of marijuana pegged at P7,665,601.92, the police report read.
The report said Negros Occidental is generally peaceful, and the downtrend in crimes was attributed to intensified police visibility.
However, the PNP also said that traffic accidents are still a primary concern, considering that there are road networks that are still not well-lighted.
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