Provincial syndicates contribute to Metro Manila crime rate

PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome: Crime follows big population

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine National Police chief, Director General Nicanor Bartolome on Thursday said that the crime rate in Metro Manila went up in the first quarter of 2012, thanks to criminal elements from the provinces who ply their “trade” in the metropolis.

Speaking to reporters during the opening of the 2012 Defense and Sporting Arms Show held at SM Mandaluyong, Bartolome said PNP records showed that organized crime groups from other parts of the country traveled to Metro Manila to carry out their operations.

Bartolome said these criminal elements from other regions come to Metro Manila because of the National Capital Region’s (NCR) huge population. “Kapag marami kasi ang population, it follows na may crime (Where the population is big, crime is more likely to occur),” Bartolome said.

Senior Superintendent Leonardo Carlos, National Capital Region Police Office Public Information Office chief, earlier said the total crime volume recorded from January to June this year was 29,231, which was 36 percent higher than the 18,672 recorded in the same period last year.

Consolidated PNP statistics on all crime incidents showed that crime against property tops the list of cases in NCR from January to June 2012, with theft as the most frequent offense, with 6,942—also 2,622 higher than the theft record during the same period last year.

Next to the NCR with the largest crime volume for the first quarter of 2012 is Region 3 (Central Luzon), with 12,345, followed by Region 7 (Central Visayas) with 10,852.

Bartolome said he had ordered the NCRPO to “double” their effort, first by identifying the groups or personalities that they have to run after.

The PNP chief also said that he has tasked the office of the directorate for operations to formulate new strategies against worsening crime situations in the region, adding that the PNP would put “emphasis” on NCR strategy.

Meanwhile, Bartolome said that according to a study, every criminal is able to make six to eight crimes before they get arrested or killed in a police operation.

“Ang nangyayari kasi ngayon, paulit-ulit nilang ginagawa ang isang krimen until they are neutralized. That is why sa ating study lumalabas . . . it takes six to eight crimes ang ginawa nila,” he said, applying the “trend” to the two killed suspects who recently robbed the house of reporter Jay Ruiz. The suspects, he said, yielded six to eight police records before they were killed by authorities in Quezon City last Monday.