Jesse M. Robredo: Crime rate is down
MANILA, Philippines—Crime fell by more than 15 percent in the first three months compared with the same period last year in spite of the recent slew of high-profile urban crimes, Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said Tuesday.
For the first quarter, the national crime volume declined by 11,219 cases, a drop of 16.77 percent from a year ago, the official said in a statement.
“There had been several high-profile crimes that transpired in many urban centers of the country, particularly in Metro Manila but the police are always working on the resolution of said cases,” Robredo said.
“The sad part is that the resolution of said incidents do not merit the same prominence in the media compared to when they were first aired or published,” he added.
Citing reports submitted to him by the Philippine National Police Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), Robredo said 34,043 index crimes were recorded from January to March, a 19.86-percent drop compared with the same period in the 2011.
Non-index crimes, on the other hand, numbered 21,637 in the first quarter of the year, or 11.40 percent lower, compared with the 24,420 recorded in January to March 2011, Robredo said.
Index crimes refer to offenses against persons and property, such as murder, homicide, rape, robbery and arson, while non-index crimes are relatively minor offenses, including violations of special laws, such as illegal logging, and ordinances.
“The comparative crime trend between the first quarters of 2011 and 2012 indicates that there is a significant drop in the commission of crimes in the first three months of this year. That is a total crime volume of 66,899 in 2011 and a total of 55,680 in 2012, or a decrease of 16.77 percent,” he said.
“If this trend does not change, we can safely assume that peace and order situation will improve for the rest of the year,” Robredo said.
Robredo said the effectiveness of the PNP in solving crimes also improved in the first quarter.
Based on reports submitted to him by Chief Superintendent Alex Paul Monteagudo, DIDM chief, the PNP’s national crime solution efficiency rate for the first quarter of this year stood at 34.38 percent, slightly better than the 25.84 percent efficiency rate for the same period last year.
Monteagudo attributed the consistent decreases in the national crime volume to “smart policing strategies coupled with the intensification of anti-criminality campaigns; enhancement of intelligence and investigative skills of PNP personnel; police integrated patrol system; localized anti-criminality action plan for the local government units, including the barangays (villages); and increase in the strength of the PNP personnel.”
But Robredo said the PNP has plenty of room for improvement. He said it should focus its efforts on crime prevention and intensify visibility and operations to deter criminals.